Where the Light Leads
by ArchSinccubus
Summary: A world shattered, a son lost. Now, his mother, stranded on another world, must embark on her own journey, to finally reunite with her beloved child. Read on as she traverses the worlds, searches for her family, stands against the dark tides that threaten to claim her whole.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hey everyone, Arch here!**

 **Now, I've been gone for quite a while, I know, but at long last, I'm back with a new story! I hope you all enjoy it just as much as I enjoyed writing it!**

 **Updates for this story will frequent between 1 to 2 weeks between each chapter.**

* * *

"Mom! Moooom!" Sora's voice rang through the house as he ran through the front door, a long, tiresome day of playing with his friends on that island the kids frequented behind him. Soon after, the 5-year-old was graced with his mother's guise, light brown hair running down to her shoulders with a scarf wrapped neatly around her head. She smiled, if not a tad tired thanks to her kid's constant yelling, going down the stairs from her room with an aura of grogginess to her, having been woken from a nap so suddenly.

Of course, when she saw her kid's beaming smile, she couldn't help but melt away, coming over and ruffling his spiky hair, smiling back. "What is it, sweetie? Did you have fun on the island today?" Watching him smile like that brought some warmth to her heart, warmth she happily clung to every once a while.

"I saw a lady today! She came to visit us on the island!" He started telling her, energized and cheerful as ever. "She had blue hair, and she was nice, and she told me my job is to protect Riku if he went, umm…" Sora paused for a second, trying to recall her exact phrasing, eyes lighting up after a second when he remembered. "Down a dark path!" He looked at his mother, his innocence shining vividly, hoping for his mother's approval on this so called task bestowed onto him.

Hikari, on the other hand, had several alarm bells go off in her mind, face twisting for a split second in worry. "I… see." She quickly regained her composure. At least Sora wasn't in any real danger whatsoever. "Sounds like a tough duty, little man." Her tone went a bit playful, but regardless, she played along, Sora puffing his cheeks a bit and frowning ever so lightly.

"I know! But I can do it, because I'm a big boy, and I can handle it!" He spoke, sure as ever in himself, certain he was up for this stranger's task. He had those small moments of recklessness to him, something Hikari couldn't help but see herself in, at least in her younger days, when she was a foolish teenager, going out for swims late at night, running off when she wanted from her her old house's windows, as well as many other things she and the other islanders did back at the day.

Hikari couldn't help but stroke his hair again, getting up and taking his hand as she slowly led him upstairs to his room. "Well, even big boys like you need some sleep, and it's rather late as is. You ate the food I packed for you with Riku on the island today, right?"

Sora yawned, but followed her nonetheless. "But I'm not even tired… I could stay up alllll night long!" Despite his claims, it was clear he was in dire need for some sleep, which Hikari recognized right away. "And yeah… we ate it all." She nodded back, opening the door to his room, Sora climbing in and nestling against the bed.

At this point, she was already tucking him in, a kiss on the forehead to boot. "Well, I'm sure you could one day…" she looked down at her child, who already fell asleep shortly after. Smiling and musing on these peaceful days she had, Hikari slowly went to the door, trying not to disturb him, whispering one last goodnight to him before closing the door to his room.

She would've gone back to sleep herself, but what Sora said still upset her. A stranger coming out of nowhere and telling her child what his so called 'job' is? She couldn't let this pass. Walking outside, Hikari went straight to the docks near their home, taking a boat and rowing to the children's island, a place she hasn't visited in quite some time. Fond memories of her own childhood ran through her mind as the familiar trees shone in the moonlight, docking and giving the island a scout. Whoever that stranger was, she had to be around still. Otherwise, Hikari would have seen her somewhere on the island already. New people were quite the rarity, if not an impossible occurrence.

After about an hour or so of looking around, she found no one, scouring every speck of the island she could think of. "Maybe he imagined it?..." she muttered to herself. This wouldn't be the first time Sora would make something like that up, like the other time, he told her he saw Riku talking with someone else on the island as well. Regardless, she was getting tired herself, and the young mother quietly made her way back to her boat. She wasn't sure whether or not Sora spoke the truth, but at the end of the day, it didn't matter.

He was safe. That's all she needed.

* * *

Destiny Islands were… Mundane, to say the least. Of course, to a certain keyblade wielder's mother, that life was just perfect. Hikari was born on these very islands. Living alone with her only child, she never really had anything to complain about, at least when her kid wasn't involved. Yes, Sora was always a quirky one. Even as a little boy, he'd always try and go seek some adventure, more often than not getting into some dangerous situation that she had to pull him out of. It was a tiring life, one that surely didn't go about without its fair share of mishaps, but at the end of the day, she never regretted a single moment of it.

Until the world went dark.

It was only moments ago, as far as she could recall. She just minded her own business, making dinner for herself and Sora, calling him to come down like she always did. When he didn't answer, she just figured that he was already asleep or something of the sort, or perhaps just playing hockey and trying to be a bit of a rebel. She actually found those little streaks of his adorable, for what it was worth at the time. She could still recall everything she did that day, putting his food on a plate in the fridge, sighing lightly, and going outside for a quick fresh of air.

Of course, what she _saw_ instead were blackened skies and a world falling apart.

She panicked, as any mother would, running back up to her son's room, but he was long gone. The boat was gone too, which only meant he was actually crazy enough to go to the children's island in that horrible storm. "SORA!" She shouted, looking everywhere frantically as the darkness loomed even closer. "SORA, COME BACK! PLEASE, COME BA-" And from there, silence. Blackness. Nothing. She couldn't scream, she couldn't hear. She was trapped in an endless void of a shattered world, with nothing but darkness around her as far as the eye could see.

However, despite the emptiness, the last thing on her mind before this void stuck like a ringing bell in the silence, keeping her attention on it relentlessly. Her son, her only son, gone to who knows where, leaving her… stranded. It would have been easier to just give in and let this darkness consume her, but she couldn't. Her son would come back, she just knew it, and she couldn't bare to imagine his face to see his own mother dead, or worse.

There were… _things,_ in the darkness. Creatures. They waited, and skulked, wishing for her eventual fall, all so they could prey on her, a speck of light within the vast sea of infinity. Despite not being able to see anything, she could feel them. She knew they were there, and what they wanted.

Despite all of this... She couldn't accept it. Every second she was in there, in that darkness, her heart screamed at her louder and louder to escape. She couldn't feel her arms, or her legs, of anything of her body for that matter. She wasn't even sure at that point if she was still breathing, or if she had a heartbeat. She only knew that her son was going to come back, and that he needed her to be there.

No… she couldn't accept it whatsoever. ' _Sora…'_ Her mind started to race. She tried, as hard as she could, to do _something._ Then, as she started to struggle against the dark tides, the thought in her head grew even more potent. _'Sora!...'_ First her heartbeat returned. She was sure of it now; she was still alive. Soon, more and more feelings came back, one after another, swelling up within her with enough force to make Hikari swear she was flying. "SORA!" She called out, reaching with her hand. A small glimmer of light sparked within the endless dark seas that surrounded her. With instinct only a mother could show, she dashed towards it. The darkness that so far held her back seemed like it paled in comparison to the sheer force of will she now possessed. The light grew wider and bigger, soon taking over as she passed through it. Hikari could almost feel it, her son, her only son, with her again, back and safe home. She reached out with her hand, trying to grab what she assumed was his hand.

And from there, she passed out.

* * *

"...ey… Are you a...t?"

Hikari shook her head slowly. She was still dizzy, to say the least, and her surroundings slowly came to her. Lots of brown and several lights, to be sure. Nothing like her old home, though that was the understatement of the century.

"Hellllooo… Can you hear me?..." The voice spoke to her again. A female one. She nodded, albeit a bit delayed, hearing a cheer shortly after. "She's good Leon!" After that, a pair of masculine hands grabbed her, and Hikari felt herself lifted to her feet, with a young man giving her something to lean on as he led her through the streets of this strange new place.

"W-Where..." She muttered, trying to regain her composure. "Where am I?..." Slowly, the scene was coming back in full. The buildings became clearer to look at, the people too, and soon enough, with the help of a few steady breaths, she came back in full, though still leaning on the young man, as her feet felt weak still.

He sighed, turning his attention to her question for a brief moment. "We're in a town called Traverse Town. Just… Hold still, alright? You should lie down after what you've been through..." He sighed, muttering to himself. "And to think I thought I'd seen everything in this world..."

A few minutes later, Hikari found herself in a small, light blue room, with little decoration around, sans a bunch of boxes piling in one corner. The young man guided her to a bad, helping her lie down, after which Hikari finally managed to take a deep breath of relief, taking this opportunity to catch her thoughts and compose herself. "Now..." She finally spoke after a minute or so, looking at him with worried, but stern light blue eyes. "You said this is… Traverse Town, right?"

He nodded, returning her gaze with one of his own. "Yup." The lack of further elaboration managed to peeve her lightly, but regardless, she was in no place to demand much.

Another moment of silence passed, and Hikari cleared her throat anew, trying to come up with another question. "And this… Traverse Town. Is it close to the islands, or?..."

Her question seemed to trigger a more… Meaningful response from him, and the man known as Leon raised an eyebrow, as if curious about her choice of words. "...No. Your Islands… They were probably lost to the Heartless. This is a world for people whose world no longer exists." His explanation was brief and sudden, as if he wasn't in the mood to take it easy on an older woman, with the only response from Hikari being a sudden blink.

"...What do you mean by that? Gone? But I was just there..." She paused, trying to recall. Now that she thought about it, she didn't know how long she was in that darkness that swallowed her whole. It could have been days, or weeks, or even months if she were unlucky.

"Look..." He turned to her, placing a single hand on her shoulder and sighing again. "I know this is hard to eat all in one piece… But that's the truth. This world, this city… It's a haven." Closing his eyes, Leon stood back up, turning his back toward Hikari and facing the door, with the mother sitting back up, if slowly. "We all lost our homes. Me too."

Hikari took some time to digest this. Her home was Gone. Her friends, the kids, everyone… "Wait," She muttered, her voice gaining a hue of confidence to it. "What about Sora?"

Now that she spoke the name, Leon turned his attention to her once more. "Sora… You know him?" His curiosity piqued, Leon took a chair and sat down, giving a long, heavy breath. He already had an idea where this was going to go, but still, he could have never guessed this would happen.

Hikari nodded back, hope beaming on her face, with a confident smile to boot. It was a stretch to be sure, but if that man knew her son… "Yes! He's my son! Brown, spiky hair, blue eyes, wears a vest over red overalls, big yellow shoes..."

"Yup, that's him alright. So you're his mother, huh?" Leon couldn't help but chuckle softly. "Well, if he's the chosen bearer, I guess his mother _would_ be something else, huh? Still, to think you'd manage to follow him all the way here with sheer willpower… You're one stubborn woman, uh..." At this point, He realized he forgot to ask for her name, and with the realization, came a slight, barely noticeable blush, and an attempt to mask it by rolling his eyes to and fro.

"...Hikari. My name is Hikari." Realizing she forgot to introduce herself, She gave her name, gathering some of her strength to stand back up. Looking around the room, her attention fell back to Leon. "So… What do you mean by 'chosen bearer'? And where _is_ Sora anyway?"

As she finished her sentence, another, scraggly looking man, closer to her own age, stepped inside, with bright, short hair and a white tee. "'Fraid you just missed 'em ma'am." He grinned cockingly, before turning his face towards Leon's for a quick second. "Kid went off to find his friends with those two talking animal types. Hell, I just got done fixing their ship for them with some new parts."

All Hikari could do in response was stare at him blankly, trying to digest all of this new information. "...What do you _mean_ talking animals?" She couldn't help herself but ask, curious about the concept of something so strange and otherworldly. The more time passed in this bizarre circumstance, the more the strangeness of it all seeped into her mind, allowing Hikari to at least relax a tiny bit midst her newfound quest to find her son.

"Yeah… they all make that face when they hear it the first time." The scraggly blonde couldn't help but chuckle, though after Hikari's expression shifted from perplexity to annoyance, he shifted tone quickly enough, trying to calm her down. "Just somethin' you see from other worlds ma'am. Don't worry about it, you'll get used to seeing a lot of things here sooner or later." He spoke calmly, though not without a certain sting to his words, one who's just seen enough to go with the flow and not care much about the nitty gritty details. "Right, I should have mentioned: Name's Cid."

A brief round of introductions later, and Hikari got a more firm grasp on the situation: From what she understood, her son got her before her, but already left looking for his other friends with some company from a duck called Donald and… Something that Leon and Cid had trouble defining by specifics called Goofy. Breathing in relief that at the very least he wasn't alone, she got up, bowing to the two of them politely. "Alright gentlemen, now that I think I got some basic grasp on all of this… I should be off. I do have to get to Sora you know."

Before she could go out the door, however, Leon moved in front of her, looking rather stern, with Cid being not that far behind him. "...You're ain't gonna get out there on your own, are ya? Those Heartless are gonna eat ya alive!" Leon exchanged one worried glance with him, as both of them not sure what to do if she insisted.

She stopped before the two, giving them a stern glare. "...I appreciate the kindness and the hospitality… But I have a son to get to. Please, move aside." Without a second more to give them to reply, she tried brushing Leon and Cid aside, determined to get out there as soon as possible. If Sora already left this world, assuming she got it right, it meant he went to another, which meant her only path was to follow. She didn't know _how_ she was going to do that, or where he went, but something told her that whatever force guided her here could do it again. If it took her here, despite never being to this town before, she could just as easily find Sora on another.

Leon and Cid exchanged another quick glance with one another, Leon shook his head coldly. This woman obviously didn't know anything about Heartless or how they work, and despite his basic explanation of them, she didn't seem to get the gravity of the situation. "I'm afraid I can't let you do that. If the Heartless take your heart, how would you get to Sora? Normal people can't fight them you know."

Hikari paused, before long, a dry chuckle escaped her lips, and she stepped forward, looking him dead in the eye with bright, blue orbs, emanating nothing by killing intent. "...Anything that gets between a mother and her son gets crushed to _bits._ I assume your mother was the same, trust me. We all are." After hearing that, Leon finally cracked, her glare sending a chill through his spine.

"...Alright, but I'm escorting you for the time being." Leon muttered as him and Cid him moved aside, giving her passage to the street of the 3rd district. The last thing he wanted was to see the darkness consume her just like that, though considering she survived her world being taken by the dark, she probably could handle herself. Hikari's willpower notwithstanding, there was no telling what would happen if she wasn't too careful, and she didn't seem like the type of person well versed in close quarters combat.

As the trio stepped outside, Hikari stopped a few steps forward, taking a deep, calm breath to get some fresh air through her. The evening breeze was rather tranquil and calming, despite the depth of the situation, and for what it was worth, it was nice to have this tiny respite, at least for now.

On Leon and Cid's end, worried glances and exchanges were all around. Sure, things were calm for _now_ , but it was only a matter of time before one of them would show up, and from there it was going to be a struggle to the first district. Each step was accompanied with several glances of the environment, making sure Heartless couldn't get the drop on any of them. Fighting darkness based creatures that could spawn everywhere around you tended to make them far more cautious than usual.

"...Alright, I think the coast is cle-" Before Leon could finish his sentence, they struck. Several pools of darkness piled around them, each of which sprouting one, small Shadow, with about five of them surrounding the group. The small creatures, yellow beady eyes on their heads with two small antennas to boot, looked around constantly, moving their heads all over, before all of them landed on the same person, Hikari. The mother quickly stiffened in her place, a look of distraught on her face, as the memories of the darkness began to flood back into her mind.

"You..." She could only mutter quietly, still stuck in some instinctual fear, fighting the need to run off, but not having enough courage to step forward. One of the Shadows, finally making up their mind, suddenly turned it's head directly towards her, gaze fixated and clear, sinking into the floor and approaching rapidly, slithering across the floor at a rather alarming rate, jumping right before her with a claw aimed straight at her chest. "Eep!" Hikari jumped back, at the very least avoiding said attack, Leon grabbing his blade and stepping in front of her, with Cid, carrying a rather lengthy spear, right behind him.

Both gave her a serious look, Leon pointing with his head towards the house. "Get back inside! We'll deal with this!" The two men, giving a look of comradery to one another, gave a battle cry, running towards the small swarm of blackness, giving the dark creatures a run for their money.

Hikari, however, didn't run off. Something, mystical or primal, held her in place, looking as the two friends took down the dark creatures, one by one, though not without injuries of their own. The Shadows were tiny and weak, but numbers they had plenty, and soon enough, Leon and Cid found themselves rather backed into a corner, trying to protect Hikari while also fending off the Heartless. She looked, fear sprawling onto her face, not sure what to do next.

But alas, the darkness wasn't so kind as to give her time to think, and before she knew it, another Shadow found its way towards her, quietly moving around Leon and Cid, and heading straight to her. The creature rose up from the floor, moving quickly, and jumping at her again, as Hikari brought both arms to protect herself, head turning away in instinct and eyes closed shut. In that brief moment she had to think, before the Shadow's claw connected with her body, thoughts ran wild in her head. She couldn't go on like that. She _had_ to do something. Brief memories of her son, when he was younger, flashed in her mind. _"Mom!"_ Suddenly, she heard him. Sora calling to her. Anger boiled up in her heart, and she readied a hand. "Stay away!" She yelled, bringing it down, and smacking the Shadow around, sending it flying, and dissipating into darkness shortly after.

A moment of silence hung up in the air. Leon and Cid both turned their heads, just for a second, realizing what Hikari just _did._ It took them several days of training under Merlin to be able to actually hurt Heartless themselves… And she managed it without much trouble. A quick glance to one another broke the silence, and the pair pushed on, the numbers of the Heartless decreasing by the moment.

Hikari slowly opened her eyes when she realized she wasn't dead or hurt. Watching the Heartless she smacked slowly dissipate on the floor, she hardened herself, running past Leon and Cid, kicking and punching wherever she can. She didn't have any proper form or skill, but at the very least, she managed to wreck some havoc amongst the heartless, and before long, the last of the Shadows were vanquished, leaving the three of them safe. She sighed, heavily, looking at the two warriors with a grin, the fatigue of running around finally catching up with her. "S-See?... I told you I'm not..." Alas, she couldn't finish her sentence, falling to the floor unconscious shortly after, Leon catching her before her head could hit the bricks.

Cid blinked once, rather impressed, going to Hikari's sleeping form and picking her up gently. "Well I'll be damned..." He muttered, looking at Leon puzzled. "You think?..."

"I don't know," Leon replied sharply, putting two fingers to his forehead and closing his eyes, thinking. "Either way, she can fight them. It's good enough for me." Inspecting her face closer to see if she got hurt, he noticed she did have few small cuts here and there. "Let's take her to Merlin. Who knows, maybe the old man could figure something out. She'd need some medical attention too."

"Let's go then" Cid shrugged, taking her with him, Leon following suit shortly after as vanguard.

* * *

When Hikari next woke, she was in a rather stuffy room, looking bizarre with plenty of colors and shapes on the walls. She came to get up, but a hand gently pushed back, a brown haired girl standing above her, blue eyes reflecting back. "Please, stay put." She asked, her hand glowing lightly. "I'm still treating your wounds."

"Wha-..." Hikari shook her head again, trying to get a good grasp on the situation. From below, she could hear Leon's voice, as well as Cid, and a third, older one, arguing about something, though she couldn't make out what it was. "Is this… Another world?" The scenery was quite misleading, and she could only assume she was transported again to someplace else.

Arieth chuckled, shaking her head slowly. "No, this is still Traverse Town. Just… Another part of it." Her head turned to the entrance to the room, as part of the floor sunk down, as if by magic, Leon, Cid, and an old man in a robe and a wizard hat came up with it.

The three of them seemingly still were in whatever argument they had before, the old man half yelling at this point. "I'm telling you, there's no way! We haven't had a new awakening in-" He then realized she was looking dead in their direction, Arieth in tow, fixing his indoor voice and looking rather surprised. "O-Oh. I see you woke up." He put on a friendly smile, walking closer, reaching out with a slightly shaky hand. "Hello there Ma'am, my name is Merlin. As you can plainly see, I'm a sorcerer, and a powerful one at that." He held a slight tone of pride in his voice, giving Leon and Cid a glare for a second. "Anyway… I'm glad to see you're all fixed up, err..."

She waited, still dazed, before shaking her head, returning to reality in full, and bringing her hand to his, shaking it. "Hikari."

"Right! Right, Hikari." Merlin quickly finished his sentence, sighing and turning his attention to Arieth. "So, Arieth, how's our fair lady?"

Arieth lifted her hand, the glowing ceasing, wiping the sweat from her head and nodding happily. "There! All better." She grabbed Hikari's hand, helping her to her feet, the older woman looking around rather curious.

Merlin, clearly beaming to explain the intricacies of magic to someone else, stepped in closer, Leon and Cid both looking at him rather cautiously, stepping back, as if bracing themselves for whatever he was about to say. "So… Fancy yourself a bit of magic, eh?" Merlin asked her, twirling his finger around, conjuring a flying closet. "Hmmhmm..." Perhaps I could teach you something. You could do with some magic, if you want to fend yourself out there." At this point, Merlin was grinning aloof, and Cid and Leon both stepped back further, trying to get away from another one of Merlin's long, boring lectures.

Hikari looked with awe and amazement at the flying furniture, walking closer to it and holding it, making sure it wasn't a trick or anything. When she realized it was, in fact, real, she nodded, but soon held herself back. She didn't have time for this; she had a son to find. "Well… It sounds like a pleasure, but I'm afraid I have to turn it down." She explained. "I'm looking for my son, Sora, you see? I can't dilly dally here all day." She came to leave, but Merlin quickly followed her steps, insisting.

"Oh, I think it would be quite beneficial for you then!" He started, eager to get someone else to teach a trick or two too. "I do believe that Sora is in other worlds, yes? Do you have any way to follow him?" He asked.

Hikari shook her head, looking determined. "No… But it doesn't bother me. I know I can get to him, even if I have to step into the darkness on my own. I _will_ find him." Her words were unwavering, stern and true. Even Leon couldn't help but admire a person willing to go this far for someone they care about, but Merlin was not convinced.

"Well, that would be nice and all, but there are far better ways to go about this. Right now, Sora is traveling with two highly trained gentlemen, and with the Keyblade, I can assure you he's in no immediate threat. The boy can fend the Heartless too, you know, and so far, he's proven to be quite capable." Merlin tried to reason with her, twirling his fingers and making the closet disappear. "But if you want to find him… The least I can do is give you some basic training in magic. And if you prove you can handle it, I could teach you a spell to travel from world to world. Quite a useful one, yes." He nodded to himself, hoping she would agree.

For a moment, Hikari looking down, thinking. "Sora is safe, you say..." She had a rather hard time to believe it, but so far, everyone around her seemed adamant on this keyblade Sora had, and how it was a powerful weapon. Not to mention, having two friends to help him out. It was a dangerous world out there, but at the very least, she could take a small span of time to learn a thing or two, if it meant having an easier time finding her son. She nodded to herself, looking up to Merlin with that same determined face, breathing deeply as she prepared herself for the task at hand.

"So… Where do we begin?"

* * *

 **A/N: And... That's a wrap! I hope you all enjoyed this, and I'll see you all next time! Don't forget to follow for more, and please, critic away! I'm always looking for more opinions on my story.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hey everyone, I'm back with the next chapter! I hope you all enjoy, and without further ado, here's the continuation of Where the Light Leads!**

* * *

The days passed rather slowly for Hikari, ever since she started her new apprenticeship. So far, Leon and the rest were kind enough to offer her a small house in Traverse Town, at least, as a temporary residence due to her home world gone. She happily agreed to take it, settling in quite quickly, though the feeling of yearning for her home leaned heavily on her heart all the while. From there, she began a certain daily routine of going to visit Merlin, practicing some magic, and going home. There was a certain feeling of mundanity to it, something Hikari found solace in, and before she knew it, two weeks have passed, and there she was, already used to this strange new world and its residents.

Here and there, more people managed to find their way into the town. At this point, she learned that Yuffie, the girl who first found her, is usually the one to spot out newcomers, and from there the others would help them settle in. The population wasn't as big as one would assume, but regardless, it was cozy enough for her tastes. After a few days, she started finding herself greeting newcomers from time to time, giving them the quick tour of the town before leaving the rest to her new friends.

Heartless sightings were… infrequent, but still very much felt around. While they managed to keep the first district rather safe and secure, the second district was still out of their reach, at least entirely, and the third district was too overrun to even be inhibited by anyone who couldn't fight back. After some time passed training in Merlin's study, mastering some basic spells to help her fight them without exhausting herself to bits, Merlin began tasking her with taking down Heartless on her own as well, as part of her training. If she was to look for Sora out there, she'd have to fight them, sooner or later, and while she would have rather avoided this conflict altogether, some part of her still found this to be some sort of stress relief, the Heartless being rather… fitting for the role of punching dummies, if said dummies could steal her heart for being careless.

As a new day arose, Hikari slowly opened her eyes, still in her bed in Traverse Town. Despite it being more than a week, she still couldn't bring herself to fully get used to this new living space she was given, wishing each morning that she'd wake up to her home on the islands, Sora already awake and out with his friends, and she could get back her old life. But… One look in the mirror every morning told her all she needed to know. Her body was toned, far more than she ever was, in fact. A few scratch marks showed in her skin, scars and remnants of battles she had in town before, especially around her face. It actually managed to make her shed a tear, though she soon dismissed the notion, steeling her heart and going outside, for some fresh air.

Walking down the First District, Hikari closed her eyes for a second, thinking quietly. _'Hmm… I should get some shopping done today.'_ She had some time before Merlin would summon her, and without anything better to do at the moment, she headed towards the item/general store, managed by a trio of brothers, ducks too. It did take her a few days, but soon enough, it was just one of the things she managed to adjust to, seeing talking animals and other magical appliances just fly by.

"Good morning, Ms. Hikari!" Huey's voice rang vividly, seeing her walk into their store. The trio always seemed too cheerful, despite being around so many others who lost their home, herself included, and amongst all the things that happened to her, this smile was something that managed to cheer her up, at least for the time being. Hope was a fleeting emotion for her, at the end of the day.

She smiled back, grinning widely and raising a single hand, waving it gently. "Good morning, dear." She greeted the duckling, the others soon joining him, tending to their little shop while she went to the food section they set up, browsing the vegetables and fruits, trying to pick the freshest ones. An eye for these things, she had little trouble inspecting the fruits and so on, and before ten minutes passed, she had a basket filled to the brim with goods, heading to the counter and pulling out her wallet, munny she gained from helping around the town being plenty for buying what she needed. "There you go, this should do. How much is it, dear?"

Huey took the vegetables and fruits, checking a rather crudely painted cheat sheet the trio made before, writing down the numbers before he reached the final price, showing her the list. She took a good look, making sure everything was there, before reaching down to her wallet, pulling out just the amount they asked, as well as a bit extra, putting it down on the counter, before packing up the food back, giving them a smile. "Thank you kindly darlings."

The trio looked back at her, as she turned her back and headed to the door, Dewey unable to keep his mouth closed and calling after her. "Hey, Ms. Hikari! That's a lot of food for one person. Are you inviting a friend?" The other two, already realizing what was going to happen, tried to shoosh their brother, but to no avail.

Hikari, of course, without a hint of doubt, turned back to the group, replaying as innocently as she ever did. "Why, I'd have to. Otherwise I wouldn't have enough to cook for myself and my so-"

She stuttered, freezing mid-sentence. Years of habit died the hardest, and she still found herself buying food for two people, despite her son not being anywhere around. Sorrow fell upon her face, and she quieted down, the aura around her growing somber and cold.

"Aww… Don't feel bad, Ms. Hikari..." This time, Louie approached, looking up at the far taller woman, trying to cheer her up. "We're sure Sora is fine! Uncle Donald is with him, after all, and he's the best magician in the world!" The other two nodded in agreement, valuing their uncle greatly, though in a more straightforward, childish way.

She couldn't help but sob lightly, before shaking her head. She didn't have the time for crying now, not with her training going so smoothly. Sighing deeply, Hikari faked a smile, nodding and trying to brush the longing off, though not succeeding entirely. "You're… You're right. Sora is fine. I just need to get to him, that's all." She spoke, though more for herself rather than them, trying as hard as she could to just go on without succumbing to the darkness. Merlin already warned her before about the dangers of letting her sadness and misery overtake her, and she did her best to keep his teachings in tow.

Stepping out of the shop, she walked idly, shaking off the bad vibes from a few minutes prior and letting the new day wash over her, refilling Hikari with hope. Every day she was here, she was getting one step closer to finding her son, and before she knew it, the time came, and headed straight home, putting everything she bought down and heading out again towards Merlin's old house at the outskirts of town. The first few times she was led there by someone capable, but after mastering some fire magic on her own, she could finally open the door that leads to his study, and once again, she stood before the wooden door, a single sign of a flame etched into it right at the center.

Hikari took a deep breath, channeling magic just like she was taught, feeling her palm heat up more and more before raising it straight at the door. "Fire!" Just as she yelled it, an orb of fire erupted from her hand, straight at the door, and as it hit dead on the center, the door hummed, moving up and giving her passage.

The lone tower past the crack in the wall of town beckoned her to come closer, as the time for her lesson drew near. The stones, floating on the water around it, recognized her approach, turning around and making a bridge for her, giving Hikari the passage to her mentor's residence. Every time she passed by them, Hikari couldn't help but stare in awe as the magic worked itself, doing things she would have never seen before in her life on the islands. Some part of her even admired that, or thanked this new change in her life. Sure, Sora was still her goal, and she was determined to find him at all costs. But still… There was a certain charm to this. As a teen, she always imagined being whisked away to learn spellcraft, like those books she used to read when she was younger. If she could ever see herself now, she might've actually grown jealous of her current self. Chuckling lightly at the prospect, Hikari stepped on the stones, eager to start a fresh new day of learning.

"Welcome, Welcome Hikari!" Merlin's voice was as chipper as always, sitting in his study and sipping on some tea while she walked in through the side, the curtain flapping quite heavily with her moving it aside. She bowed back, a polite gesture to her teacher, and came up the small stone stairs, letting the environment wash over her, filling her heart with tranquility. "Now, today we have a very special lesson ahead of us, so I want you to take some time to rest, and be in your peak condition." He mentioned to her, smiling with pride all the while, sipping again on the small cup, and leaving it floating mid-air while pouring down a cup for her as well.

"...Oh?" The comment made Hikari pause ever so slightly, holding the cup floating towards her, Merlin filling up her cup as well. "And what would that be?" So far, the two of them practiced elements and primary spellcasting. She managed to grasp the basic elements, fire, ice, and thunder rather quickly and even got to the level that she could heal herself if she needed. So, to hear Merlin talk about something new like that piqued her interest, and she leaned in a bit closer, curious to hear what he had in store. "Is it a new element?"

Merlin waved his head once, grinning knowingly. "No, no, nothing of the sort. Today, Hikari… I'll teach you the spell to move around worlds with."

The revelation made her stutter, and she actually managed to drop the cup from her hand, Merlin catching it via magic just before it was shattered on the floor and bring it back up to the table. Tears started to swell around her eyes, and she stared at him, awestruck. "R-Really?!" She still couldn't believe her ears, excited and happy more than ever before, hope burning in her heart like wildfire.

In contrast, Merlin kept his composure, nodding with a smile and taking another sip. "Quite. You've shown some remarkable talent in these past few weeks, so, since this is what you wanted, I decided it would be the right time to teach it to you." He looked back at her, finally finishing his tea and putting the cup back on the table. "Now… Shall we begin?" With a snap of his fingers, the tile leading to the upper floor, where the two of them did most of their practice descended to the ground floor. Merlin got up, walking casually to it, and waiting for her to approach.

Hikari took a moment, shaking her head and returning to reality, before getting up as well. "Y-Yes! Of course." She hurried over, standing by the old wizard, and as the two of them started to rise back up the training floor, she couldn't help but feel a tinge of pride in herself. She never assumed she'd be capable of such things, but there she was, about to learn how to travel to other worlds on her own.

Once the two reached the training floor, and the tile behind them returned to place, Merlin walked a bit forward, clearing his throat and starting to speak in a more serious manner. "Now, before we begin these lessons, there is one thing that you must understand about the worlds outside this one." Hikari quickly took the hint, nodding back, and standing firm, patient, and listening. "See, many worlds are not like this one, where people without a home anymore gather. Many of them are fully functioning in tandem, and thus, aren't even _aware_ other worlds out there exist."

"I see..." Hikari nodded again, though at this point she was starting to catch on to where Merlin was going to go with this. "So in other words, this is a secret that should be kept, correct?"

Merlin beamed up at her conclusion, and gave a hearty nod, turning over and looking at her with satisfaction in his eyes. "Precisely! This is the most important rule you must learn when traveling to other worlds: Unless someone explicitly says to you otherwise, under no circumstances must you meddle in the affairs of other worlds, and even in the case you get roped into something, never _ever_ tell them about the existence of other worlds." The tone of his voice grew a tad somber as he spoke, wanting to make sure Hikari understood this perfectly. "Do you understand that?"

She closed her eyes, thinking for a moment. The option to find her son was out there, and she wasn't deterred by this in the least, though she did end up wondering how much Sora followed that rule. Knowing him, he was bound to go on many adventures with people in other worlds, and while it sounded like a lot of fun, she had a duty to find him, first and foremost. Hikari slowly opened her eyes, blue orbs filled to the brim with determination and will, nodding fiercely and speaking in one sharp breath. "Yes."

"Excellent!" Merlin's shoulders dropped a bit, trying to resume the more cheerful and enjoyable tone to the room, starting to explain the basics of the the spell to his student. He conjured a pair of chairs, and a table, putting them close to one another, the teacher and student both taking a seat as Merlin began to detail the many aspects of world transportation magic. The explanation, in tow, was long winded and rather stale, but Hikari listened to every single word, asking questions when she needed and taking mental notes on everything she could possibly need to remember in the long term about it.

For the most part, spells like that worked on a more… Emotional scale. Unlike most of the spell crafting she was taught thus far, basing it on understanding and knowledge, transportation, rather short or long term, were something that couldn't always be determined by knowing everything. The technique was important, sure, but when one wants to go to a world they've never seen before, guts come far before brain. Of course, she had no idea where Sora was, and so, the only feasible solution she had was to trust her heart to guide her in the right direction.

After an hour or so of explaining and theory, Merlin finally paused from his ramblings, let the silence sink in, as well as give Hikari some time to digest everything. After a few minutes had passed, and the silence was becoming a bit uncomfortable, he cleared his throat again. "So… Have you got any more questions about this spell, Hikari?"

She looked back, waving her head. "No… I think I got the gist of it." She reviewed what she learned in her head, trying to piece everything together once more to make sure she got it. In essence, it wasn't a difficult spell regarding skill or understanding, but the whole aspect of letting her heart guide her… Made her a bit unsure. She couldn't know where it would send her. What if it were worlds Sora never even visited? "Actually, there is one thing." She figured she'd ask, sighing deeply. "How can I know that my heart will lead me to where I need to go?"

Merlin figured she'd ask something like that. A lot of people who first learn about traveling to other worlds do. "Well," He started, stroking his beard while leaning into the chair. "There's this old saying, that was passed around since older times. I haven't heard anyone use it in ages, in fact, but I think it conveys the idea quite well." He straightened up, trying to recall the exact words before uttering them. "'May your heart be your guiding key.'"

"My guiding key..." Hikari mused a bit over this. If anyone, Sora was the prime example of doing what his heart pleased. Ever since he was a boy, he was always out on the island, trying to go to some grand adventure. Even when him and his friends started to build that raft, thinking they were super secretive, his giddiness and excitement were quite obvious to a well-versed mother. Of course, she didn't say a word, childhood dreams were important to a growing young man, but she did plan to stop him before it was too late. In fact, the irony of the matter made her chuckle a bit, as now she was out on the adventure herself, while Sora was gone on his before she could even say anything. "...I see." She finally answered him, a look of understanding reflecting in her eyes. "Just like Sora, huh?..."

The old mentor couldn't help but nod in agreement; even in the brief time he got to see the boy, that aura of openness was all around him. "Quite. That boy holds an extraordinary power to him, you know. Even without the Keyblade with him, his heart is truely something exceptional."

"Now that you mention this… I've been meaning to ask about it too," She heard that word used a couple of times here and there. From what she understood, this Keyblade was a weapon of sorts, but she never got a moment's reprieve to actually ask about the specifics of this object, and decided to take the opportunity. "This Keyblade… Mind explaining to me what it actually is?"

The moment she asked about it, Merlin's eyes beamed up, and he raised his hand, waving it swiftly, conjuring an image of the titular key, or at least, the one Sora was carrying with him. "The Keyblade… It is a mythical weapon. Long ago, many held it and wielded it, using it to fight the darkness and safeguard the light, though today, alas… These brave man and woman are more myth than fact." Hikari nodded, and Merlin continued. "Suffice to say, the Keyblade is a weapon with the power to unlock any lock. Be it the lock of a house, the lock of a heart… If one uses it correctly, they can gain access to a myriad of truths. On top of it, it can be used to free the hearts captured by the Heartless, when striking them down, but it is capable of terrible deeds in the wrong hands."

An image of Sora, carrying such an oversized key passed through her mind. She had no worries about how he was going to use it, but still, her child carrying such a dangerous tool around… She could only hope that nothing would lead him astray.

"Regardless..." Merlin coughed lightly, continuing his explanation. "The Keyblade is rather… Picky, about its wielder. In a sense, you could say it 'chooses' who it deems worthy to carry it, so to speak. I can assure you, Sora has what it takes, of that, I'm certain." The silence returned shortly after, and Hikari could only ponder on these facts, before Merlin returned his attention to the lesson. "Anyway, now that we've covered the basics of world transportation, I think it's prime time we put some of it into prac-"

Before he could even finish his sentence, a voice burst into the study, and Cid's voice echoed in, booming and loud as usual. "Hey old man! Is the lady 'ere?! Got a message for her she might wanna hear!" Giving Merlin a puzzled look, Hikari stood up, Merlin retaking the two of them downstairs, where Cid was impatiently tapping his foot while waiting for them.

"Yes, yes, what is it? And please keep it down, not all of us enjoy such loud noises this early into the day..." Merlin gruffed and the young adult, though the latter scoffed him off without a care and went straight to Hikari, as if he had something great to tell her.

* * *

"Sora was here?!"

Hikari looked nervous and shocked. Her son came back to this world, and left already, at least according to Cid. While sad she couldn't catch up to him, she was still relieved he was still safe and sound, going around from world to world, and sealing up the keyholes, saving them from the darkness.

"Just what I said," Cid confirmed, while the two of them rushed out of the study, and back to town proper, to see if they could still catch him before he went away again. "Kid and his pals gave me them gummy parts to install on their ship, and I got so worked up on it I completely forgot to tell' em! Hopefully, they haven't left yet, so who knows, you might just catch 'em!"

Hikari started to run faster. Just the sheer hope that her son was there, and she could see him again, managed to empower her heart, a rush of energy coursing through her like never before. At some point, she even managed to surpass Cid, who looked quite impressed as she dashed across the second district, heading straight for the first.

Shadows started to circle the two of them. Pools of darkness emerged, and out of them, Heartless begun to swarm out, blocking Hikari's path to her child. "Get out of my way!" She yelled at them, already used to seeing and combating the creatures, raising her hand as sparks gathered around it. Calling upon the spell, she unleashed a burst of lightly all around the area, knocking some of the Heartless off and making others dissipate entirely, though in her recklessness she neglected to notice Cid had to jump away before he was electrocuted himself.

"Oi, watch it! You almost turned me into Cid stew!" Despite him shouting, she couldn't listen, paving her way through the darkness with fury like that only a mother knows. He could only stand back, slightly in awe, slightly in fear, watching the woman tear through the Heartless apart, trying to make her way to the first district, like her life depended on it.

As soon as she finished the wave of Heartless, a howling sound, followed by several clings and clangs filled the air. Out of nowhere, several pieces of armor fell out of the sky, assembling into a full set of armor, the insignia most Heartless carried on them branded dead on its chest. A slow moment of silence passed through the air, and Cid, already on his toes from Hikari's rage fueled burst, quickly picked up his spear, jumping forward and taking over. "You get to the first district!" He called to her, giving Hikari a cheeky smile and a wink. "I can handle this bugger long enough for you to get out of here!"

Hikari didn't have a lot of time to react, but a quick nod was all she needed to agree. As the Heartless' hand flew at the two of them, Cid distracted it with an overhead blow, giving Hikari just enough time to slip past it, and head straight to the first district. Ignoring the tranquility of the area, she made a B-line straight for Leon, spotting him around the entrance to the town, and grabbing him by the shoulder. "Cid! Second district! Heartless!" Her cries of distress, though catching Leon off guard, were enough to alert him, and before she could say anything else, he ran off straight to the gate, joining Cid in the fight. "Now..." She finally calmed down, and looked around, once she could guarantee the two could handle it. "Where is Sora..."

It didn't take long for her to realize he was already gone. If he were anywhere else in town, she would have already seen him, but alas, he was nowhere to be found. On top of it, the item and accessory shops told her he did stop by, but was so excited on going to new worlds that he didn't even bother to say anything, just buy what he needed and leave. As she headed back outside, looking up into the starry skies, an old wizard's voice echoed through to her, and Merlin appeared right next to the saddened mother, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Now now, Hikari, I'm sure Sora might come back sooner or later. Besides, once you master that spell, I'm sure you could follow him wherever he went!" His words of encouragement didn't fall on deaf ears, and Hikari suddenly perked up, looking at Merlin with hope on her eyes. "Oh no, I know that look..." It took him a second to recognize Sora's face reflected on her own, and he quickly waved his head, trying to stop the inevitable. "N-Now now Hikari, don't be reckless about this. You still need a lot of training before you can master that spell correctly, and on top of it-"

"But I can get to him!" She cut him mid-sentence, looking towards the gate. "Sora is out there, and I can find him, I feel it!" Before she even understood what happened, her body kicked into high gear, channeling mana in her body just like Merlin told her, despite not having any real idea how to control this outburst. "Sora..." She mused to herself, seeing him in her mind. Her precious son, on wherever world he was in. She could almost reach out to him, and grab his hand, and pull him to her…

And just like that, she vanished in a poof of smoke, headed to another world.

* * *

"Jeez, what a bother..." Cid's voice was far more raspy than usual, walking with more than a scratch out of that fight, Leon in tow. "Still, gotta thank the lady for callin' you over. Man I'm gettin' rusty..." He kept complaining about small things, looking tired as ever, the two of them looking yonder towards Merlin, who stood worried far more than usual in the middle of the district. "Oi, old man! Where's Hikari? Gotta thank her for savin' my hide like she did!"

Merlin, on the other hand, gave a more somber response, the two quieting down. "I'm afraid… She's gone to another world. I can only hope she'll manage to find him sooner or later..." His concerns were deep as any. She could never even practice the spell in the first place, and there she was, jumping off without any control. "I knew she had a talent for such things, but to think..."

A moment of quiet passed amongst the three, Cid being the first to break the ice with yet another, rather crucial question. "So… Do we tell the kid? Who knows, he might wait here if he knew that she's-."

"No." Leon cut him off, sounding resolute and certain. "If he knew, it would only make his quest to find his friends that much harder, and with how she is now, there's no telling where she even went. For all we know, the two of them could be jumping around worlds ad nauseam and never cross paths. There's no telling if she could even find her way back here."

It was hard to accept, but Cid nodded in agreement, Merlin doing the same. "Yes, though I do wish she would find her son…" And with that, Merlin whisked off, heading to his study once more, while the two others went off to their business.

* * *

 **A/N: And here we are, at the end! I hope you all enjoyed, and if you did, don't forget to follow/favorite! As for what comes next... Perhaps I'll put up a poll after next chapter. I'm not quite sure of that yet, but by next chapter I'll make the decision for certain.**

 **Anyway, see you all next time!**


	3. Chapter 3

The next thing Hikari knew is that it was very, _very_ hot outside.

It took her a moment of hesitation, trying to discern the area around her. Sand, for the most part, coated all that she could see, and after finally getting up, she shook her head. "W-Where am I?..." She muttered to no one in particular, before looking yonder. A city sprawled before her, giant and majestic, though it was clear she would need some time to walk there. It then dawned on her, after some deliberation, that she succeeded. She traveled to another world. "I-I did it!" She marveled at this strange new world that she now stood in, eager to explore, but before long, steeled herself. "Alright… Time to find Sora." She mused to herself one last time, as she headed to the city of gold spires and dunes.

It took her far less time than she envisioned to get to the gates of the city. It was hot outside, making her peel her pants up and walk as fast as she could, but within an hour's march, she made it. From up close, the gates were even more impressive than she could have imagined, admiring their beauty for a brief moment. She wondered what kind of people could live in such a strange place, and walked up to the gate, trying to push it open, which she managed to move around with some trouble. Thanking her friends and mentor in Traverse Town for helping her get this far, she stepped inside the city to see the strangest of sights she could have imagined.

The city itself was teeming with life. People walked the streets en masse; children played in alleyways and on the roofs; animals of all sizes and colors decorated the stands of the main road. Hikari walked wide-eyed, the sights and sounds all alien to her. She could have never imagined seeing so many people in one place. The most she ever experienced of crowds were times on the islands were the villagers would gather for events, of various natures. She wondered to herself how could someone in such a city possibly get to know everyone else, as she did.

Before she could do much more, however, she felt something bump against her, knocking her to her feet. An almost literal slab of a man, tall and bearded, with an honestly goofy hat on his head. She tried her best not to snicker, noting the strange looking sword sheathed at his side, giving an attempt at an apology, but ending up mumbling. "I-I'm sorry..."

"Hmm?" The man gave her a rather sour look, something ticking him wrong. "You… Who are you? How dare you push around one of the royal guards of his majesty?" Despite not really doing anything to him, the man seemed quite upset. Rather or not it was her or something else, she was right there, and now Hikari had to deal with it. "Wait a minute..." The man took a closer inspection of her, the lighter tone of her skin making him raise an eyebrow. Not many people in the city could keep such light tones, especially when the sun shines down on people. "Where did you come from? Are you a part of this city?"

The barrage of questions shot at her made Hikari stumble again, trying her best not to slip that she's from another world. "U-Umm… I-I'm from… U-Uh..." She mumbled, not sure what to say. If she told them that she's from another world, that would be meddling. If she said nothing, they could jail her, or worse. "No?"

The guard gave her a piercing gaze, nodding to himself. He suddenly stepped forward, grabbing Hikari by her arms, holding her from escaping. "Then come with me. You'll have to answer to the Sultan for the princess' disappearance!" His brash tones and rough treatment left Hikari rather surprised, not to mention surprised. She didn't have any time to react whatsoever, and before she knew it, she was dragged all the way to the palace at the center of the city, the large golden spires watching from above. Marching through the gate, the guard that escorted her took her through to the insides. She could see the place was as well furbished as she could imagine, expensive paintings and rags hung all around.

She didn't get many chances to protest, and those that she did manage to voice went utterly ignored. The guard, or rather, the tower of muscle and sinew that he was, seemed far too blunt for his own good, and she decided against using her magic, in an attempt to seem as little as a threat as she could. She didn't want to start a fight with every guard in the city. "Your majesty!" His voice rang through the long and wide hall they came into, with a throne at the back. "I found an outsider, just like you ordered!" He tossed Hikari forward and looked back to her. "Bow before the Sultan of Agrabah!"

"W-What did I do?!" She finally had enough of his treatment, trying to defend herself. "All I did was walk into this place, and you grab and manhandle me to… This place! Now explain yourself!" She grunted in a rather unladylike tantrum, though the guard didn't seem to care much, stepping closer until an old voice pierced the veil.

"Please, you are dismissed. I would talk to the woman myself." The voice seemed friendly enough, and the guard stopped, bowing and leaving the hall, leaving Hikari with whoever spoke. She turned around, and saw the Sultan himself, sitting on his throne. A rather short, full man, with a large white hat almost his own size. He sighed, stepped off the throne, and walking towards her with quick, albeit short steps. "You'll have to forgive Hassan, he's rather… Adamant about his service." The old man chuckled lightly, offering her a hand to get up. "Please, maiden, tell me your name."

She took his arm, finding solace in his friendliness, and trying to show him some respect, gave a respectful bow. "M-My name is Hikari." She lost her balance while bowing, resulting in herself staggering a bit forward, trying her best not to fall to the floor again.

The Sultan paused for a second. "Hikari..." He repeated her name, mostly for himself. Stroking his beard with his right hand, he turned around, walking back to his throne and gesturing her to follow him. Once the two got close, he sat down, nodding quietly. "That's… Not a name one would usually hear around my city. Tell me, maiden… Where are you _really_ from?"

Seeing right through her left Hikari surprised and shocked. Her head lowered, not sure what to say next. She never expected someone to read right through her like he did. "W-Well..." She sighed. There was no point in hiding the truth any longer, and she realized she might as well spill the beans. "I'm… Not from this world." Her voice was weak and hesitant, not sure how the old sultan would react. He could have called her a madwoman, or worse.

The sultan, however, replied with a short, amused chuckle. "I see… I figured as much." He spoke with wisdom emanating through his voice. "Yes, I've known about other worlds out there for quite some time now. It's one of the most highly protected royal secrets of our kingdom, in fact. But to think I'd get to meet someone from another world..." He couldn't help but smile, almost childlike, raising his hand to shake her own. "What an honor!"

His reaction surprised her, to say the least. Regardless, she managed to raise her hand, shaking his, and returning it to herself. "B-But wait… If you knew there are other worlds out there… I mean..." She had many questions on her head, but the Sultan waved his arm, dismissing her for the time being. Out of the cheerful attitude he exampled, another emotion, akin to sadness, began to pierce through his heart.

He was worried.

"How we know… Does not matter. Many leaders of other words would know at this point." He mused, looking up. There, on the wall, a large portrait hung, of a beautiful girl. She was dressed in blue, raven hair sliding down her head across to her lower back, a masterpiece by its own right, even disregarding the woman painted.

Hikari turned her attention upwards, beholding the painting. An expert's craft, she could tell from a mile away it was a true work of art. "If you don't mind me asking..." She finally mustered up the courage to pose the question, stepping back and standing beside the Sultan. "Who is she?" Beyond the curiosity to know, she felt something from looking at the girl. A sort of reverence in her guise. It was something she couldn't quite put to words, but had the feeling: This young woman was significant.

In response, the old man nodded. "Her name is Jasmine, my daughter, and princess of Agrabah." He briefly explained, shaking her head. "And now… Missing. After a recent incident with my now fired vizier… She vanished. I know not where she went, or who took her, but on one thing I'm certain. She left this world." His voice was resolute and certain. "And so, I told my guards to bring anyone who might look like an outsider to me directly, so I can question them." She nodded in understanding.

"I'm actually looking for my son too. He was gone from our world, and it fell to darkness… And the next thing I knew, I arrived on another world. Now, I'm trying to find him." She mused. In the end, the two of them weren't so different. Both parents, both lost their child. Except she was out there, looking; He could not. "The only clue I have is that he is a keyblade wielder…"

The sultan's eyes widened with surprise. "Did you say keyblade?" She nodded, and he got all riled up, standing from his throne and walking around. "Then perhaps you can help me! Oh, this is wonderful!" He cheered, dancing in place. "Truly a miracle!"

Hikari couldn't help but make a confused pout. She had no idea how she could help, though she certainly wouldn't mind helping people along the road, at least as long she could still find her son. "U-Umm… How?" She couldn't help but wonder, not sure where he was going with this. "I-I mean, I suppose I could look, but I'd have no idea where to start, and-"

He quickly waved his hand, shaking his head as well. "Oh no no no, you don't have to worry. Just find the key bearer! I'm sure he knows where she is. After all, he sealed this world's keyhole and saved all of us! At least, that's what Aladdin told me." He summarized, looking back to the painting. "He seems like an extraordinary boy, going on such a daunting task. Sealing the worlds' Keyholes is not an easy feet."

Thinking of Sora, saving worlds and being a hero, almost just like he wanted to be as a kid, brought some joy to her heart. Hikari smiled to herself, gently, pride beaming inside her. "I see… But to be honest, I don't know where he went. Like I said, That's what I'm trying to find out." Despite the ability to move between worlds, she still had no idea how to locate Sora accurately. Some part of her regretted not staying and studying with Merlin, but it was too late at this point. "If you have any way to help me locate my child, please. I would forever be grateful."

Nodding back, the Sultan of Agrabah stroke his beard, thinking. "Hmm… Perhaps there is a way to help you pinpoint his location. I am not certain this will work, but it is worth a shot." As much as he wanted to find Jasmine again, he knew she couldn't find her on her own. Being the princess of heart that she was, he already realized who could have taken her. For that, he would need the key bearer to find and rescue her.

Wondering what he meant, Hikari stepped a bit closer, blinking once or twice. "I see… And what is it, then?" Anything that would help her find her son was welcomed, and so, she waited to see what he had in mind.

With a snap of the sultan's fingers, another one of his guards arrived. "Guard!" He commanded, this time his voice carrying a more authoritarian voice, more formal and direct than the joyful, albeit carefree man she saw him be a few minutes prior. "Escort this woman to the keyhole."

* * *

The walk was tiresome, but after a few day's time, traveling the vast, endless deserts, Hikari and her escorts arrived at their destination. A huge, lion-shaped dune, with its mouth wide open, agape and mighty. The evening breeze hit her face, specks of sand flying with it, making Hikari squint her eyes as she beheld the marvel. "From here, you walk alone." The guard that escorted her spoke at last. "We cannot go past this point. We shall wait for you here until you return. Good luck." The few of them that came with her stepped back. From here, she had to walk alone.

Hikari looked at them back one last time, nodding in gratitude. The Sultan explained to her, what she had to do. Sora was there before, according to what he heard from Aladdin, and so, most likely, if there was a place where she might feel him the most, it was there. It was risky, to be sure, but it was worth a shot. Hikari started to walk towards the giant lion head, climbing down it's maw, as its tongue turned into stairs, as if inviting her to go further. She hesitated, looking back to the guards that rested outside, but steeled herself, and kept going. The night sky soon vanished, until the cave engulfed her in full. "Remember!" She heard one of the guards call out to her before her head vanished completely into the beast. "Whatever you do, don't touch the gold!"

When she got to the bottom of the stairs, she marveled. The insides were… Wondrous. Shards of gold and jewels stuck on the walls, but remembering the word of advice, she stayed away from it. Hikari never had an eye for fortune and riches. She preferred a simple life, one that had all she needed, not much else. The cave seemed to stretch further in, and as she walked, she couldn't help but wonder what Sora was up to now. If he was here, it meant that he was on his mission, to seal the keyholes. A tinge of pride beamed in her heart. Sora, her child, doing so many courageous things for others.

Suddenly, the cave took her down again. She reached the end of the hall, trying her best not to fall down to the black abyss down below, as well as avoiding the streams of water that kept erupting from the walls to the side. What she saw at the end, however, was another door, leading her further down. "How long does this thing go?..." She mused out loud, shaking her head and heading on. At the very least, Heartless sighting was rare. Now that she was alone, and nothing attracted them to her, it seemed that for the most part, they left her be. However, she still felt them. Lurking. Waiting. She knew that she would pounce her the moment she showed weakness, and so, she did her best to purge those doubts from her mind.

The room she found herself in now was more corridors, leading down further in. She shrugged, sighing vocally, and made her march, climbing up to the higher ground, to make sure she didn't fall. Several barrels stood around, lifeless and empty, though she couldn't help but find it curious to see such objects just laying around in such a place. She decided to approach one of them, and peer inside. Whatever there was inside, she just had to find out.

Alas, the moment she approached, the barrels stirred to life. Each sprouted four spider-like legs, and stuck them to the ground, lifting the main body. A single, yellow eye broke out as well, watching Hikari intensely, and moving towards her, the barrels all started to dash. She yelped, raising her hand, and without thinking, blasted them with a fireball, taking out one of them in a single hit. It's body crumbled to bits, falling to the floor, but that didn't help much, considering a few more came her way.

Hikari started to run. Monsters from the darkness that ate hearts she could deal with any day. Spiders, on the other hand, were something that she just couldn't handle. She was always repulsed by them, in one way or another, and a combination of spider and Heartless didn't do her any good. The barrels kept running after her, but at this point, she didn't even look back, making her way to the entrance to the next floor. Getting to the stairs, she practically jumped down. She just wanted to get away from those things as quickly as possible, and before she knew it, the stairs ended, and she found herself in a strange, smaller room.

A room filled with treasure.

Gold was everywhere. Piles upon piles of bright metal filled every nook and cranny of the area. The spiders seemed to have lost chase, so at the very least, she could take a breather. Hikari sat down against one of the piles, trying to catch her breath. "H-How did Sora deal with those things?..." She asked herself, puzzled and still mildly scared. Soon after, she managed to stabilize herself, after making sure she was safe from the terrible creatures. Another door stood in front of her. One that was decorated quite heavily. "Alright… That should do." She took a quick, hasted breath, getting up to her feet, and gazing at the door. Whatever there was in there, she had a feeling she reached her destination. "Sora… I'm coming." She muttered to herself one last time, walking inside in hopes of reaching the keyhole.

The chamber that she entered from there was vast and roomy. Brown stone made up the walls all around her, with a nice, round design to it, the center having a pile of rubble at the center, made mostly of cobblestone. Several tall stone arches surrounded the area, all but two having something behind them. The one she entered from, with the stairs behind her. And in front of her… The keyhole. It was far larger than she anticipated. When Hikari thought of the keyhole, she imagined it to be the size of a normal key. Seeing the huge stone structure tower above her by a definite margin left little to the imagination, however. Stones emitting light covered the ceiling, and despite being underground, she could see just as well, scouting the room.

She nodded to herself. The coast seemed to be clear, and no Heartless were in sight. Walking off to the steps at the side of the platform she stood on, she quietly made her way towards the keyhole. Even from where she stood, she could feel that it emanated power. Something… Radiant, out of that world, so to speak. Something told her, that it could help. Maybe if she could attune to it… It could give her a trace of Sora. Something to follow. Some semblance of her son that would lead to him. From there, she should be able to use Merlin's magic to follow him far more accurately. It was far better than hopping from world to world randomly.

The keyhole stood before her, sealed and empty. She could tell something was on the other side, but that it was also locked shut. Out of hers and the Heartless' reach, surely being Sora's handiwork. She pressed her palm against the cold stone. It sent a slight chill down her spine, but she disregarded it, closing her eyes.

 _"Please… If there's something out there..."_ She started to talk. She had no idea if the world could even hear her, but she had to ask. She had to find out. If the world could hear her, perhaps it could show her.

 _"Please help me find my son."_

At first, nothing. No response came from the other side, in any way, shape or form. Hikari started to lose hope, coming to remove her hand from the cold stone, but just as she did, she felt _something_. Something beckoning her to come closer, to push on. It surprised her, but without hesitation, she pushed. Light engulfed her, until she couldn't see anything else in the room.

From there… The world spoke to her. It wasn't speech with words or riddles. It was more akin to signs, visions, images, and sounds. She saw Sora. She saw him approach. She saw him battle a giant, red demon. She then saw him beating said demon, trapping him in a lamp. After that, he turned his attention to the keyhole, sealing it, and departing. She kept pushing, and while the world couldn't tell her where Sora went, she got… A hunch. A gut feeling, or something of the sort.

Before she could open her eyes properly, the ground around her rumbled, forcing Hikari to snap her eyes open. Still disoriented, she looked around, searching for the source of the noise, and her eyes widened in fear as she now stood before a Heartless. A huge, spider-like, eight-legged monstrosity, like the which she's never seen before, staring at her, or rather, staring at what was behind her. Whatever she did, it attracted it.

Hikari trembled in place, unsure what to do next. Her legs started shaking. One of her biggest fears came to fruition right in front of her, and she couldn't do anything but stare at it. For now, it didn't move much, and she didn't know how to react, wanting nothing more than get away from it.

Suddenly, the spider heartless screeched, bellowing with jaw wide open. She set into a panic, and before Hikari knew it, she raised her hands, her heart pounding against her chest like never before. "GET AWAY FROM ME!" She yelled, letting a burst of fire emerge from her hands, blasting the heartless with a rather powerful, but draining, spell.

The spider staggered back, slightly burnt, but nevertheless adamant. It screeched again, and brought one of its legs, swiping it across the room, aiming at the mother. She jumped down to the floor, trying to make her way to the entrance. She felt fear coursing through her, but at the same time, bravery. She had to make it out. Stay alive, for her son. The spider stopped moving for a brief moment, crashing down upon her with its massive body. Realizing the shadow she was standing on was growing thicker by the second, Hikari quickly made a turn to the side, picking up her pace and running off, jumping away just in time as the spider crashed into the ground.

She got back up, turning to it. The heatless was still on the floor, staggered from the shock of hitting the cobblestone. She quickly regained her composure, bringing both her hands close, and focusing, as chill and cold condensed in her hands, forming a ball of frost and ice. "Go!" She shouted, sending it forth. The blizzard spell lunged forward, straight at the spider's head, hitting it dead on its eyes. It bellowed again, trying to flail around as it was temporarily blinded by her spell, but by the time it managed to recover, she was gone.

Hikari made her way to the treasure room, finding haven in the much smaller room. The heartless tried to keep following her, but the entrance was far too narrow for it to come after her, and it remained stuck in the keyhole chamber, unable to do anything. She breathed, heavily, leaning against the piles of gold for a moment to catch her breath. Despite all the training she did… She could have never imagined she would have to combat such great monsters. Nothing on Traverse Town even came close to _this._ Either way, there was only one thing left to do.

Get out of the cave, and head back to the sultan.

* * *

"So? How did it go?"

The old man couldn't keep to his seat, fidgeting and pacing all around his throne. The journey back wasn't as bad as the way forward. She felt that she managed to get used to the desert's heat more so than before.

Hikari stood before him, trying her best to keep her cool, despite the sultan's excitement being rather contagious. "W-Well..." She started. The moment she did, the old man ran close, looking at her with a sharp glare. "I did make it to the keyhole, and I think… I think I have an idea where Sora could be. The world… It told me what it could." She explained, as best she could. Translating the images that flooded her mind was rather difficult, but somehow, she managed to convey the basic idea. Sora was not in that world anymore, but she did know which direction to go to next.

"Excellent! Excellent!" She got cheers in reply, the sultan jumping up and down while clapping his hands repeatedly. "Oh, this is wonderful! With his help, we're sure to find Jasmine too!" Barely able to contain his happiness, he kept going for a while, leaving Hikari with nothing to do until he calmed down. "Ahem." After several minutes, he straightened himself, turning to her again. "I assume you have a way to go between worlds, yes?"

She nodded. "Yes. I used magic, though it's not the most accurate method..." She sounded a tad embarrassed, but regardless, determined.

The Sultan approached her, beckoning her to lean down, and pat her back when she did. "I'm sure you'll do just fine. A parent would do anything for their child, right?"

His comment managed to make her smile lightly, and she nodded back. After that, she straightened herself, closing her eyes, and concentrating, on both Sora, and the direction the world pointed her at. "Yeah… Anything."

And with that, she vanished anew, headed to another world.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: AAAAAAAAAAHHHH THE NEW KH3 TRAILER!**

 **Well, then! Didn't expect that, to say the least. Either way, looks like we finally have a release date for Kingdom Herats 3, which means this series might finally get a move on towards the final installment of the Xehanort Saga! Now, in this hype, I hope you'll all enjoy the next chapter of Where the Light Leads! I'll see you all next week (hopefully) with the next chapter!**

* * *

Unlike last time, Hikari found she had more control over the magic she used to hop between worlds. This time, she ended up atop a cloudy meadow, on top of a massive, imposing mountain. She took a quick glance around, only to make a rather shocking realization. She wasn't just looking at clouds all around her.

She was standing _on_ the clouds.

At first, Hikari yelped, trying to jump, or at least, do anything to save her from falling to her most certain demise. However, when she realized that the clouds were like a floor for her at the moment, sturdy and strong, she took a sigh of relief. "I wonder where I am..." She pondered out loud. Each new world she visited was becoming more and more odd and mysterious for her. She turned around, in an attempt to find something akin to a landmark, only to discover that behind her, a huge, almost glittering structure stood, tall and proud. Pillars of white marble supported the marvel, and clouds seem to make up almost the whole floor, giving off the impression of something godly, or at least otherworldly, on top of the situation that she was in.

She couldn't help herself, a large, wide smile spreading on her face. It was a dream of her to fly, and even if it wasn't really the case, she was still really, really high above the clouds. "I wonder what Sora did here up high..." She wondered as she began to walk towards the pillars, trying to find a way into this pantheon of sorts.

It didn't take her long to reach the inside of the grand hall. Everything was far bigger than she was, at least several stories higher, making Hikari feel rather short and puny compared to even the stairs. When trying to climb them, she was forced to jump each time she wanted to get up. No one seemed to be around, and for the most part, she wondered who was so big that they needed such a large house atop the clouds. One large trial of stairs later, she finally got to the top, panting and breathing heavily. She leaned against her knees, trying her best to catch her breath before she heard footsteps coming from the hall in front of her. She quickly made her way towards one of the pillars, hiding behind it, and looking past.

What she saw was a giant man, or at least, it was the best way to describe him. He walked around with a toga, long, white beard adorning his chin, with a heavenly glow around his body to boot. "I just don't understand! Why now?!" He yelled out in anger, the air around her shaking to the sound of his voice, making Hikari shrink a bit in fear. "At the very least, he said the keyhole was sealed, right?" The mention of the keyhole piqued her interest, and Hikari tried peeking again, watching the giant man walk past her, not even noticing her presence, something that she was thankful for.

"You're being too paranoid." This time, a feminine voice replied, as a woman clad in a purple glow, her face chiseled to perfection. Unlike the man, she seemed to be more quiet and reserved, trying her best to calm his nerves. "In any case, yes. The keyhole is sealed. The Heartless won't be able to get anywhere near it." She spoke gently, but as she passed the pillar, her eyes landed directly at Hikari, making the far smaller woman lose a heartbeat, afraid of what was to come next. Luckily for her, the giantess said nothing and instead continued to walk, putting her hand on the man's shoulder. "Don't worry. Everything will be fine dear. I'm sure our son could handle those creatures without too much trouble, and even if things got bad, you could always help."

He sighed, looking over the view, the clouds obeying their master and making way, showing him the world under. "I know… But I can't help to be worried. I'm sure Hades had something to do with them showing up around the Colosseum, and if when I find him..."

"You'll deal with it like the god of thunder you are, elegantly and respectfully." She finished his sentence, playfully tapping his chin. "Now, I believe you have a son to talk to, yes?" She pointed towards the end of the stairs, giving him the cue she needed. He gave her one last look, sighing and nodding, and making his way down, he disappeared below, and a minute or two later, his footsteps made no more sound, gone from the area completely. "Now..." The giant woman spoke anew, turning around and looking directly at where Hikari was. "Mind if I asked how you managed to get here, mortal?"

Hikari made a small step forward, coming out of the shadows that concealed her. She looked down, trying to show her respect, realizing that she was amongst literal gods. "U-Um..." She muttered, trying to come up with something to say. "W-Well..." She kept fumbling, no words making their way to her head. In the face of such grace, she could only mumble, frantically searching for a good way to introduce herself to the presumed goddess, who at this point chuckled heartily.

The giantess pointed towards the hall she just came from, taking a single step. "Now now, no need to be shy. I know my husband can be rather… Intimidating, but don't worry, not all of us here are like him. Come, we can talk over some tea." She looked back, waiting for Hikari to follow, taking another step periodically each time the smaller woman managed to catch up to her. Being as huge as she was, the goddess took her sweet time, walking leisurely and calmly, heading down the hall, where a small chamber remained, at least by her standards. For Hikari, it was still huge beyond reason, the room decorated with pristine, alabaster table, a pair of chairs to match.

Then, with a flick of the goddess' fingers, the table chairs started to shrink. She, too, seemed to diminish in size, until all the objects in the room fit themselves for Hikari's size, though the glow radiating from her stuck. A teapot already appeared on the table, cups in tow, and she sat down, inviting the traveler over to sit with her. "Now… How about we start with introductions? My name is Hera, wife of the god Zeus and the goddess of marriage. What's your name?"

"M-My name is Hikari." She replied sheepishly, taking the seat out of respect, and the moment the cup was filled, she lifted it close to her mouth. "Thank you." Once again, her voice came out short and a tad fearful, sipping on it hastily, avoiding her gaze. She never in her life imagined she'd encounter a goddess in her travels, and she had no idea how to treat such a deity without being disrespectful. On the Islands, gods and myths weren't really ingrained as much, meaning she never had much of an experience in prayer or worship.

Hera chuckled again, leaning back against her chair and blowing on the hot tea, taking a sip of her own, enjoying the aroma and sweet taste. "No need for such formality, I'm not my husband. Besides, what is a talk between a mother and mother but a talk between two friends?" The comment made Hikari stutter again, and Hera sighed playfully. "I'm the goddess of women too, you know. It's easy to tell a mother when I see one. But… That does raise a question." A tinge of curiosity, muddled in ire came with her words. "What are you doing _here?_ You don't seem to be the kind of person to just abandon their child behind… Right?"

Hikari quickly shook her head, looking down. "N-No! Of course not..." Then, silence fell over her, looking down at the floor beneath her, or rather, the clouds. "My… My world fell to darkness. My son managed to escape it, and now I'm trying to find him in other worlds."

The goddess closed her eyes, nodding slowly. "I see… And is his name, if you don't mind me asking?" She found herself growing curious. It was not every day a mortal manages to escape their world's demise, let alone travel between worlds on their own.

Hikari nodded, looking back at her, after a moment of silence. "His name is… Sora." She told her, shaking off the melancholy that took her heart for the moment. "Either way… I have to find him. Even if he's out there, saving worlds and being a hero. I just can't sit back and wait for him to come home. I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if I did." Hikari felt a bit better explaining it. Repeating her mission, even to herself, managed to fill her with resolve. She had no time to mope around and feel bad; her son was still out there. "I even found someone to train me in magic so I can fight back against those heartless."

Hera's mouth fell a bit, surprised. "That's… Impressive. Very impressive. You have a very kind heart, Hikari." The former ire and suspicion melted away, showing a grateful, content smile. "As for Sora… He doesn't happen to wield the Keyblade, does he?"

Hikari's eyes lit up at the mention of the keyblade, looking at Hera with hope beaming through her. "Y-Yes!" She then realized she stood up in her excitement, coughing and returning to sitting on the chair, trying to be more respectful. "Yes, he does. That's how I got to this world, actually. I'm following where he was, or at least, trying to. I… Haven't really mastered the spell yet, I'll admit." She smiled embarrassed, a dry chuckle escaping her lips. "E-Either way… I heard he managed to seal the keyhole here?" When Hera nodded back, Hikari took a sigh of relief. "So that means he was here, after all..."

"Indeed." The other spoke, sipping on her cup. "Sora was, indeed here. At least, from what our son told us when he last visited. Boys… So vigor and full of life, are they not?" She looked to the horizon, musing over her own child. "Why, it seemed like only yesterday that he won his first tournament. And now look at him, Hercules, full fledged hero. I couldn't be prouder."

Her words struck a chord in Hikari's heart. When she thought about it, despite the situation, she was proud of him. Sora, her child, making the worlds a better place by saving them from the darkness. In a way, she could relate. It was only a few weeks ago when she was still on the islands, tending to their home, her child running in after a long day of playing with his friends. She'd make him dinner, put him to sleep, and retire for the day. But just like that, the monotony of her comfortable life was torn away from her, leaving her stranded. Now, her child was away, doing things that he dreamed of, and there she was, on a desperate search for him.

"Tell me..." She finally looked up at her, sighing. "Do you ever feel afraid that he's going to be hurt? How do you deal with it?" In a sense, there was no need for her to ask those questions, not at the moment. She was far past that point of her life where those doubts came to light, and she didn't know how to react or what to do. But for some reason, all the upheavals that stirred her life dredged those doubts back from the corner of her mind.

What she got as a response was a single nod, followed by a deep, understanding sigh. "Yes… I think it's something that every mother has to deal with, at some point of her life. Just when you think your kid is safe and sound, and that nothing can go wrong, they leave home and go on to build their own lives. How does one deal with that… That's something that even the gods can't answer, I'm afraid."

However, at this point, Hikari had a good grasp on what she said. "Well… I know for now that for me, what I need is to find him, and at least send him off properly. I know it's selfish of me to try and seek Sora out even though he has an important adventure ahead of him, but that's exactly _why_ I have to do it." She looked the goddess in the eyes, trying to sound more brave than she actually was. "I have to at least give him one last hug before he goes."

She couldn't have been more afraid, in fact. Despite the task at hand, Hikari still had a hard time letting go entirely. She didn't know how she'd react when she'd see Sora again. Will she be able to see him walk on? Will she cling to him and try to get him to stay with her? The uncertainty had a strong grip over her heart, and for the most part, Hikari was just as lost as anyone else in her situation would be. A simple mother, thrust into a situation she never thought she'd be able to handle.

But on the other hand, she did manage to handle it. Memories of Traverse Town came back to her, one by one. She stood there, learning magic from a wizard. She fought Heartless, even managing to beat them. Despite her doubts, she knew that she could do it. The hope kept her going.

"Whatever your answer is, I can tell it's something that gives you a lot of drive." Hera's voice cut her line of thought, grounding Hikari back to the present. "Your love for your child… It's something quite powerful." She smiled gently, offering her some more tea. "But before you go… You should rest a bit more, no? I can only imagine using such a powerful spell can be quite taxing to the uninitiated."

Hikari almost came to stand up and bow, but chose against it, instead nodding deeply. "It would be an honor, Hera. Thank you very much." She could still feel herself recharging, as it were. The spell took quite a toll on her, and without some form of conduit to help her channel the magic better, she was left without another choice but to rest up before she could leave again. "But before I do… Is Sora still on this world? Or, do you know anyone who knows where he might be?"

Hera closed her eyes, trying to remember, but aside from Hercules, she couldn't. "I'm afraid not. The only person I know that might is Hercules, my son, but he's busy with some errand at the moment, and won't be back for quite a while." It was unfortunate, but as it seemed, Hikari didn't have a solid lead this time around.

Except for one.

"Well..." She muttered, catching the goddess' attention. "I could use the keyhole and try and pinpoint where he might have gone. I did it in the last world I was in before coming here." She wasn't sure about it, but she had to ask. The last time she tried it, a giant heartless attacked her. She didn't want to put anyone at risk, not to mention cause any trouble, but it was the only option she knew about that could help her in her time of need.

From there, the mood grew a bit somber, Hera shaking her head slowly. "I suppose it could be possible… But accessing the world's keyhole could draw in heartless. You'd be essentially be asking the world to unlock itself for a brief moment, and at that moment, many things can happen." She started shaking her head. "I'm sorry… But it's just something that I cannot allow to happen here. The risk is far too great, especially considering where the keyhole is here."

With her hopes dashed, Hikari sighed but accepted it nonetheless. She knew it was too easy to be true. She tried to think of any other way to find her son in this vast network of worlds, but nothing came up to her.

"But..." Hera cut her train of thought, and Hikari looked up to the goddess. "I suppose you could ask the Fates. They know everything there is to know, past, present, and..." Hera pointed up, towards the stars. "...Future. They're like oracles, in a way."

"Oracles, you say..." Hikari never had oracles back on the islands. She heard about them, from tales and myths, but never got a chance to talk to one. "And where could I find them?"

Hera's face turned grim. "They're near… The underworld." This time, she looked down. Far down. Hikari could easily tell this wasn't anywhere just on the ground. "You'd have to follow the right path to arrive where they reside. But once you do, you could ask them for the location of the key bearer. Hopefully, they might be able to point you in the right direction, but I wouldn't get my hopes up too much. They can be… Annoying, to deal with." She sighed, shaking her head in place. "I could help you get there, but not all the way. There are parts of this world where the gods of the Olympus don't tread."

"Thank you..." Tears of joy mounded around Hikari's eyes. This time she actually got up, bowing deeply to the goddess, the smile on her face only getting wider. In a way, this was even better than asking the keyhole. If this worked, she might get an actual, tangible lead on where her child is.

Before they could leave, however, Hera got up as well, giving Hikari a stern glare. "But, a word of warning before you go. Near the underworld, you might have to face things far worse than just heartless. The souls of the dead reside there, and sometimes, some of them try and escape. I couldn't guarantee your safety, so please, tread carefully." After speaking, Hera walked to the edge of the room, the pillars making way for a trail of stairs, going down, to appear. She waited for a moment, until at last, they stopped, and Hikari finally got a chance to see how high they actually _were._

Hikari gulped, looking down. While she didn't have any fear of heights, being this high was still something new and slightly intimidating for her to handle. Regardless, she walked closer to it, giving Hera one last glance, along with a nod. "Thank you… Hera." She muttered, taking her first step towards the ground. The light emanating from the stairs guiding her every step, she descended, and by the time the stars came out in full, the moon shining up high, she reached the ground, panting. Murky waters surrounded her, as it appears she ended up in a bog of sorts.

The ground almost felt like it tried sucking her down below. Bog waters and ooze decorated her every step, as the night stars guided her through to her destination, one last favor from the goddess herself. Hikari breathed heavily, tired and exhausted. It was late, she was wet and cold, and for the most part, it seemed like the entire area was devoid of life. She had no idea what she was looking for, or where to find it, and in the midst of searching, she failed to notice a single eyeball, standing alone, watching her from a distance away.

After a certain point, she started to feel that something was looking at her. That feeling grew the longer time passed, and before long, Hikari could swear that something or someone was watching her every step. "H-Hello?" She called out to the dark, trying to discern what was out there that tormented her so. "I-Is anyone there? Please, I'm looking for the Fates, can you help me?" The darkness stayed silent. Ambient voices came from around her, moans of the damned, unable to find rest.

Soon, as fear started to grapple with her heart, a shadowy figure came out from behind her, tapping her on the shoulder. "We know."

Hikari jumped in place, startled. She turned around, to see three bodies, each more hideous than the last, all of them lacking any sort of eyes. The three gave her a look, laughing amongst each other, circling the frightened woman. "You are looking for your son, the key-bearer, yes?"

"Y-Yes! You must be the Fates, correct?" Hikari spoke loudly, though a grunt coming from the waters below quickly put a stop to her loud tones. "A-Anyway… Yes. I-I'm looking for my son. Hera told me you know all… Can you please help me find him? I'll do anything."

The three turned to one another, whispering amongst themselves. "Anything, you say?..." One of them came forward, the tallest one, taking the eyeball and putting it into one of her eye holes, judging the woman and walking around her. "We can tell you many things that you might want to know, but at what price, we wonder? Our predictions are not cheap, nor are they pleasant for all." After she had spoken, the shortest one took the eye, fitting it firmly within her single eyehole. She came a bit closer, inspecting the woman on her own. "Oh yes… Quite the tragedy befall you. A son lost, a world shattered… Yet, here you are."

"Hmm." Hikari nodded. "Name your price. Whatever it is, I'll do it." She brushed aside her fear, her eyes firmly planted at the eye, which was now in the hands of the middle one.

"As for the price… You have come here from above. From the mountain." The middle one pointed towards the already vanished staircase. "We will simply ask the gods for what we want. Doubtfully they will ignore our request." A subtle chuckle escaped her as she spoke, sending shivers down Hikari's spine. The three of them turned their attention to the slimy sphere, and as it began to glow in her hand, the eye floated. The pupil vanished entirely, resulting in a blank, white ball, on which images started to form.

"From world to world you'll travel, in search of your son..."

 _"But in each one you'll go to, you'll find none."_

"Do not fear, however, mother of the key bearer."

 _"For at the end of your path, awaits something greater."_

"But a word of warning, seeker of the light."

 _"Do not forget yourself within another's might."_

One by one, they spoke to her. The eye, floating in the middle, showed her the future she sought, herself being lost in a myriad of worlds. Each time, the keyblade escaping her reach, by less and less with each consecutive jump. Eventually, however, the eye flares with white light entirely. She couldn't even see anything anymore in it, and by the time the light subsided, the three Fates were gone. Vanished, as if the ground swallowed them. As Hikari looked around, looking for them to at the very least thank them for their help, she could only hear their voices, mocking her through the darkness.

"Now begone, seeker of the light, before the darkness shows its might!"

She didn't need to be told twice. Hikari already made her way outside of the swamp. The last thing she needed now was another encounter with the Heartless, or whatever else could reside in such a horrid place. After an hour or so of walking, she reached a quiet meadow, the sights of the city in the far end. However, she didn't even bother going there at this point. She had something more important to attend, and that would be finding her son. While it was true that the Fates didn't give her any solid leads as to where Sora might have gone to, she could still tell. A mother's instinct, just like the first time she did it, and arrived in Agrabah.

A quick look inside told her all she needed. She was finally rested enough to leave the world, and go to the next. Calling upon the magic, she felt herself floating lightly. She was getting the hang of it each time she used that spell. She conjured Sora's image to her mind, as the world started to vanish behind her.

Fate or not, she was going to find him, no matter what.


	5. Chapter 5

For a change, Hikari was falling on arrival.

It made her scream, looking around frantically at the black void around her, the pull of gravity working and making her fall to who knows where. She had no idea where she was, nor what she was doing there, but one thing was clear to her: She did _not_ want to know what was waiting for her at the very end.

Soon, something gleamed at the end of the fall. At first, she couldn't quite tell what it was, a vaguely humanoid shape. Beyond that, it was anyone's guess. "HEY!" She called out to it, hoping it was her salvation. "PLEASE, HELP ME!" The figure, alas, held no response whatsoever, and it fact, seemed to grow larger the more she fell. Looking closer at it, the colors of the cloth, as well as hair, made her tilt her head in confusion, despite the overall situation.

This was, in fact, a reflection of herself.

She was falling straight towards a mirror, stretching to the black void on all ends. There was nothing else around, and so, Hikari was left with no choice. As the mirror-floor drew nearer, she curled up, her arms covering her face, bracing herself for the inevitable impact with the cold, hard glass. To her surprise, what she felt instead was the pull of gravity from below her, instead of a shattering noise, as well as glass shards possibly penetrating her body. She finally dared to open her eyes, and realized that instead of a mirror, she was now flying _upwards,_ a patch of grass below her.

She had seen plenty of weird things, ever since going on her quest to find her son. She saw gods, and weird, unnerving Fates. She saw giant spiders, as well as cities far above what she ever knew, though the thought of spiders made her shudder. She saw a town where people without a home gathered, talking animals, weird creatures and much, much more.

This was a first.

She landed on the patch of glass with a loud _thud,_ and quickly got up on her feet, looking around. Surprisingly, it didn't hurt as nearly as she imagined it to be. Still, the looming black all around her gave the serious vibe of Heartless to the area, and Hikari was already on edge, ready to blast something with fire at a moment's notice. She began to walk around, as the grass followed her every step, the darkness replaced with a lush, bustling thicket. Soon, she found something that wasn't just grass and large, oversized leaves. A flower, four petals in exotic colors, planted firmly in the ground in front of her. Even if it _was_ her own size, it was still rather impressive. The closer she got to it, the more of them she saw, a trail of colors leading to who knows where. There were plenty of flowers, of all shapes and sizes. Some she recognized, some utterly alien to her.

"My my, what an odd flower. Almost as odd as the last one that was here." A voice came from behind her. She quickly spun around, face twisting a bit in surprise. What she saw there were the flowers from before, their leaves and petals changing shape into a rather… humanoid form. Soon, the entire flower patch she was in turned into living plants, some humming a nice tune, some talking with each other, and some giving her rather… _stern_ glares.

"I-I am no flower!" She called out, standing her ground. "I am a human, thank you very much!" Her cheeks puffed without her realizing it. A nice shade of red tinted them as well. A tiny huff escaped her lips, and she crossed her arms, looking away. She didn't have to tolerate anything from those flowers. "And in any case, I'm looking for someone, so if you don't mind, I'll be on my way."

Before she could walk any further, however, one of the smaller ones, reaching her ankles, looking up at the larger lady. "Who are you looking for Miss?" His childlike tone reminded her much of her own child, and Hikari paused. Turning around, she gave the small, half-hearted smile, trying her best to seem less rude.

She fumbled with her fingers a bit, trying to think about how to say it in a way that won't make the small flower feel bad about what happened to her before she thought of a proper phrasing. "Well… I'm looking for my son. He's been hiding from me, and I have to find him, you see?" She explained her quest, or at least, the basics of it, the flower nodding in understanding.

He then pointed a single leaf out into the forest, trying his best to show her the way despite not having a real finger. "You should go to the caterpillar! He knows everything!" The flower kept cheering, catching Hikari's interest. A caterpillar that knew everything?... It was worth a shot, and she looked to where the flower was pointing. Pondering on her choices, she realized that she didn't have the strength to leave that world just yet. So far, she didn't get the feeling that Sora was around, at least currently, but it didn't hurt to look regardless.

The leaves and flowers made way as she looked. Green was all around her, making a path, fireflies lighting up the way to the supposed caterpillar that Hikari heard about. The tranquility of the forest sprawled forth, adding to the scene, and for a moment, Hikari found herself caught in this mood, nodding in agreement. "Hmm… Alright, I will go to said caterpillar. Perhaps he could help me." She turned to the flower, bowing lightly. "Thank you very much!" She smiled, and the flower smiled back, waving a leaf goodbye as Hikari ventured deeper into the forest, unsure of what she'd find next.

"Bye bye!" The flower waved her off, and as Hikari turned and walked away towards the caterpillar, the flowers shrunk, away from her view, until vanishing entirely. The darkness of the forest surrounded her anew, and at the corners of her eyes, she could have sworn she saw chess parts running around, for some indiscernible reason, even it for fleeting moments.

A small grove sprawled before her. Several mushrooms of a myriad of colors decorated the scene, with faint sunlight reaching from above. A heavy aroma of tobacco, mixed in with the mushroom's fumes filled the air, making Hikari choke a little, and forcing her to cover her mouth while breathing. The colors were all dim, worn out, as if the place hasn't seen the touch of something new in ages. On top of the biggest mushroom, standing right in the middle, she saw him. A fat, large, and blue caterpillar, easily her own size, if not bigger. He sat on it, eyes closed, with a long, wooden pipe in one hand, puffing smoke every once in awhile. Every time he did, it seemed like the haze around her grew a bit, more and more white smoke joining the air and making it thicker.

After suffering through the fog to get closer to him, she looked around. It was a tad rude to awaken someone from their slumber, but alas, she had to if she was going to talk to him, and he didn't seem like waking up anytime soon. With a fake cough from her end, the caterpillar's eyes opened up, and he looked around, searching for the interloper that disturbed his rest. "W-Who goes there?" He coughed a bit, puffing even more smoke from his mouth, and Hikari couldn't help but cough herself, alerting him to where she stood. "What do _you_ want?" He eyed her carefully. He didn't have visitors often, and for the most part, he didn't enjoy any of them, preferring to be alone. "Well?" Each word he spoke was accompanied with more white smoke, this time straight to her face. "Speak up, little one!"

Hikari found herself in a constant battle with him, trying to keep her lungs safe and waving her hand each time he spoke so that the smoke would get away from her. "W-Well..." She finally managed to mutter when he stopped, giving her leeway to open her mouth and not choke. "You see, I've been sent here by the flowers to-"

"What?!" The caterpillar raised his voice, turning his head. "You have to speak louder; my ears aren't what they used to be!" He put back the pipe in his mouth, turning his head. "And make it quick! I don't have all day, you know!"

Hikari wasn't known as one quick to anger. In fact, even as a mother for someone like Sora, she always managed to find that tranquil spot to relax in, and not get overly riled up, even when he acted rashly or bit more than he could chew. In a way, it was rare to actually see Hikari feel genuine anger.

This one did it.

She had enough. From the flowers calling her tiny, to this caterpillar being all rude despite clearly having nothing to do all day. Falling out of nowhere into a mirror and ending in… Wherever the hell she ended in. She had quite enough of it. Hikari took a deep breath. It was a lot harder than she imagined, the air clinging to her throat on the way down, and the smell nauseating. But, the moment she felt her lungs full, she opened her mouth. "I AM LOOKING FOR MY SON! HAVE YOU SEEN A BOY WITH BROWN HAIR AND BLUE EYES RUNNING BY!?"

"You don't have to yell!" He sneered at her, shaking his head. "Kids these days, so rude..." He shook his head, but regardless, pondered on her question a bit. "But as for your question… No, I have not. I have no idea who that kid might be, or what he might be doing here, or anything about him."

"Do you know where I can look, then?" Hikari asked between grit teeth. At this point, she was ready to leave this place and never come back to it, with this very annoying caterpillar and those flowers. She was pretty much looking for any excuse she could to leave.

The caterpillar shook his head. "I don't know, go ask the white king or something! Just keep going past and you'll see the board, that's where he usually resides." After that the caterpillar returned to his original position, laying down on the mushroom and returning to puff his pipe. "What, you're still here?! I told you, get out!" Before he could even finish that sentence, Hikari was gone. She picked up the pace, running off to where he pointed, wishing nothing but respite from this terrible, terrible creature.

The more she advanced down the forest, the more she realized how it changed. Grass and wood gave way to marble and obsidian, and at the end of the forest, waited a huge, seemingly never ending chess board, stretching as far as her eyes could see. On it, several figures, some red, some white, ran amok, fighting what she recognized to be heartless, though from the looks of it they barely managed to damage them, if even touch them at all. Before she knew it, she ran towards them, readying a spell, and jumping into the air, she yelled at the chess soldiers. "Get down!" They heard her in time, and Hikari unleashed a blizzard spell, covering the area, and eliminating most of the heartless. Those that managed to avoid her didn't stay for long under her arcane might, and finally, the area was clear of the dark creatures, leaving all of them safe.

One of the soldiers, that she recognized to be a rook, turned to her and bowed. "Thank you very much, fair lady!" The others followed suit, and for a change, Hikari _didn't_ hate this world. Finally, some people who knew proper manners and respect. She bowed back, and after the fact, the rook spoke once more. "But tell me, fair lady, you do not seem to belong in this parts. Who are you? What are you doing in places such as these?"

All of a sudden, Hikari froze. In her haste to save those soldiers from the heartless, she forgot to think of a way to get out of meddling with the world's affairs. "W-Well..." She mumbled, still thinking. "I am… A messenger! Yes, a messenger." She made it up to the stop, and while her lie was obvious, the soldiers seemed to buy it, so she continued. "I am here to..." Looking around, she gazed back at the forest behind her, though to her shock it was already gone, vanished as if it never existed. "...Tell the king the caterpillar sends his regards…?"

The soldiers exchanged a single look between one another, before nodding to one another. "Then why didn't you say so earlier, fair lady!?" the rook in change pat her back. His arm felt like actual marble, hitting her like a slug. Hikari stumbled forward from the sheer force, rubbing her shoulder to ease the pain from it. "A friend of the caterpillar is a friend of the king! Follow us; we shall lead you to him straight away!" The group began to march off, and Hikari followed suit, still staggered from the hit on her body.

She took a quick mental inventory as the group marched towards what seemed to be nothing. Her shoulder a bit bruised, her dignity in the trash, at this point, she wasn't going to be surprised if a castle appeared out of nowhere, rising out of the chess board like magic or something as ridiculous of the sort. This… Wonder land, as she quickly chose to dub, was nothing but madness incarnate, with strange creatures, strange customs, and strange pretty much everything. Even the skies seemed strange, and each time she looked up, she could have sworn they changed color, from red, to blue, to sometimes even green, for as bizarre as it was.

But of course, just as she had predicted, a castle did rise from seemingly nothing. Hikari just sighed, shrugging to herself. She had no reason to care anymore, this land could drop something down from the sky on her and she wouldn't care.

They entered the castle. The white chalice marble decorated the walls from all possible directions, the grand hall stretching a few miles back. The castle, from what she could figure, had no floor of its own, as the chess tiles covered the interior of the castle as well, blending with the walls with some mixed results. Here and there, mostly around the walls, she spotted servants, mostly peons and knights, tiny soldiers and horse shaped people running around, cleaning and polishing the marble. Up on the ceiling, another one hung, actually painting the ceiling white, despite no area in the entire palace having even a speck of any other color.

"My Liege!" Suddenly, the rook spoke up, leaving Hikari startled that the deafening silence of the castle broke like glass with a single shout. Around her, all the soldiers and the rook were already bowing down, and when she lifted her head a new, she saw him: The king. A giant, pristine white piece, clearly the size of a small house, sitting upon a large, pearl encrusted throne, shining brilliantly in some demented sunlight that she wasn't even sure existed anymore, yet blinded her all the same. The king seemed to be asleep, snoring, and each breath he made reverberated throughout the otherwise empty hall, though none of his subjects cared.

Some part of her wondered just how many people here slept for the majority of their lives.

It came slow. The king slowly opened his eyes, shaking his giant head lightly. The crown moved with it in unison, showing that it was, in fact, a permanent part of his head. Hikari waited patiently, watching him stretch and yawn loudly, blinking a few times before returning to full consciousness, eyeing his party before him, the traveler included. "Hmm… Yes?" His voice came out old, and ancient. The tone of a giant, clearly far past his prime, now lording over others that happily offered their servitude.

"Sir! The company you sent out, reporting!" The rook took a formal, royal stance, even giving the king a salute, which the giant dismissed with a lazy wave of his hand. "We encountered several of the black creatures on the way to the Jabberwocky, which this traveler helped us eliminate! She had saved our company, and claims to be a messenger from the caterpillar, and so, we brought her here."

The king opened his eyes, taking a long, silent look at her. Whatever he knew, he didn't show it, preferring to keep it to himself. "And… What does the caterpillar would like to say to me, messenger of the caterpillar?" His head tilted slightly, just a few degrees, but enough to now be looking at her direction. Hikari, struck by some feeling of majestic might emanating from him, lowered to one knee, though the position on her body came with slight pain in her kneecap.

"W-Well, you see, m-my majesty... " She fumbled for words again. Was he like others? Did he know about other words? She had no way to tell, and his face was as hard to read as a statue, which it literally _was._ Regardless, she tried, figuring there was no harm in at least attempting to fib her way out of this. "He sends his… Regards, my majesty, though he also sent me here for your… Wisdom! Yes, wisdom, for he said you might be able to help me find something I'm looking for."

And then… Silence. He said nothing, she said nothing. No one uttered a word, for what felt like an eternity. The white king moved a bit in his seat. The sound of marble grinding on marble echoed throughout. "Is that so..." He mused, lost in thought. "And… Who? Is this person that the caterpillar's messenger seeks?" The king gave the impression that even though he listened, he wasn't actually there. Half lost in his own dream, thrown away into some fantasy that was far out of anyone's reach.

Hikari cleared her throat. She thought it might catch his attention, but when she realized it wasn't going to get her anywhere, she shrugged it off, speaking normally. At the very least, he was listening. "I'm looking for my son. He might have passed here, looking for something called a… Keyhole?" She nodded to no one in particular. Perhaps a term with such significance would shake things up.

"My liege?" The rook spoke this time. His voice was tainted with curiosity. "If you do not mind me asking… What is this keyhole? Why would this lady's child be seeking something akin to a keyhole in our lands?" The peons all hastily nodded to one another, though none spoke a word.

The king… Didn't move much. In fact, he didn't move at _all_. Instead, he kept the same demeanor, giving a loud, tired sigh. "Guards… You are dismissed." He waved his hands again, and the rook with his platoon ran off, scurrying away without asking too much questions. "As for you..." He talked with a hushed tone, merely above a simple whisper. "Where did you find of… Such matters?" The way he spoke, it was clear: He knew. He knew it all, and now he was certain _she_ knew.

"I… Know of them. That is all." She explained briefly, even if for many that would be a terrible explanation. At the very least, the king refused to move or lift a finger, so she felt she was on the safe side, at least for the time being. "Regardless, my son is out there. He's been sealing the keyholes and saving worlds. I have to find him." She stated her resolve, staring him dead in the eye. She couldn't back down, not now, when she was so close. "If you know of any way for me to find him… Then, please. I will be forever grateful, my majesty."

The king gave another heavy sigh, his voice weary and tired. "I… Do not, I'm afraid. The caterpillar has led you wrong, Caterpillar's messenger." His head started shaking, and it took him a solid three minutes to bring it to a halt again. "The keyhole… Is far from here. You will need time to reach it. And the Queen of Hearts will most certainly try to have your head for being anywhere near her..." The tone of the room turned somber, and slow. Hikari spotted the band of pieces actually slowing their march, as time seemingly brought itself to a halt, thanks to the king's mood.

All that withstanding, she nodded in understanding. "I see… Then I will not bother you much longer. Thank you for your audience, your majesty." It wasn't worth the risk. Even if she could get to the keyhole, it wasn't worth a gamble at a direction, on top of having to combat some giant heartless that would naturally be drawn to it, on top of meddling with this world even more so than she already did, saving those pieces. She couldn't take this chance, for as good as it was.

Before she could get away, however, the king cleared his throat, just before she could turn away. She stopped in place, curious, and stood still while he spoke to her a few words of farewell. "I do not know… Why you are seeking your son. But whatever the reason… Stay vigilant. Both the darkness and light will test your resolve, in due time." He sounded certain, but at the same time, not. It was hard to fathom what he meant with those words.

Soon enough, Hikari stood outside. The ever shifting skies reigned upon her, glittering in the colors of the rainbow, but Hikari didn't pay any attention to them. She was lost in thought herself now, still pondering what the king meant by those so called 'tests.' So far, the only thing she could think of that resembled a test where the heartless, but in every world she visited, they didn't really pose much of a threat. She always assumed that it was because Sora sealed them, leaving the Heartless not much to do there, but still… It was worrisome. Her heart wavered at the thought, but not entirely. Parts of her told her that it was a warning well met, while others dismissed it as the ramblings of a mad king in a mad world, where everything was just mad.

Regardless of what she thought about it, she couldn't stop here. This world was just one of many that she had to search in, and who knew how long it would be before she would get to Sora and his friends. With that in mind, she found no longer any need to stay around that world, vanishing in the huff of smoke that Merlin's spell had to it, raising to the void between worlds.

* * *

Hikari flew. It took her a while, slowly getting used to it, but after some practice, she could finally retain her awareness of herself, even when outside of any world in particular. The quick vanish and reappearance turned into flying through an endless void, while worlds appeared and floated all around her. She saw so many of them, submerged under water, flowing in the skies, the possibilities were nigh endless.

But amongst all those worlds, one appeared… Dark.

It was strange to look at. All the other worlds had light brimming through them, she could feel it. But this one… It felt odd and very, very disturbing. It was like something took residence there, tainting that world with darkness beyond imagination. But, at the same time, she felt something familiar there, beckoning her to approach.

Sora was there.

It took her less than a second to make up her mind about it. Sora had to be there, it was too clear in her heart that she felt herself drawn there like a moth to a flame. She set out, heading straight for that world, hoping that this leap was the last leap before she'd find her son.


	6. Chapter 6

Hikari landed with a quick flare, smoke dissipating around her as she surveyed her surroundings. Blue stone, water all around her, though on second inspection she realized the waterfall in the area was flowing _upwards_. Shaking her head hastily, a stern glare beamed across her face. "Sora!" She shouted, as loud as she could possibly get. "Sora! Are you here?!" And yet… Nothing. Not a single reply. Unwavering all the same, she started walking forward, jumping when she needed across flying and hovering stones. Bubbles floated in the vicinity, made of condensed, pure water, and when she couldn't get high enough to reach one of them platforms, she froze it with a spell, using the makeshift hovering ice block to climb her way past.

She was… Tired, at this point. The previous worlds all held wonders of their own, but she had to find him. Every world she visited that Sora wasn't it only made the lack even more unbearable. She didn't know what to do with herself anymore. She just wanted to find him now. At least _see_ him. Anything, just the tiniest of glimpses to tell her that he's alright. Her motherly instincts were screaming at her for some sort of relief, and in a hasty attempt to relieve them, she hurried on, getting further into the rising waterfalls.

When she finally got to the top platform, Hikari saw it: A huge, towering castle, stretching high and mighty. That infernal insignia she saw on some heartless was there too, plastered on front wall, huge enough to see it from afar. Her face twisting in shock, she started looking for a way to get over there. If her senses were right about this, Sora was there. In that castle. Fighting who knows what. She started to panic a bit, unsure of what to do.

However, before she could freak out entirely, trying to get to the castle, something appeared before her. A platform of sorts, brown in color, connected by some hidden strings that she couldn't fathom. Hikari paused, looking at the contraption. "Is it… For me?" She pondered out loud, walking closer and inspecting it. Nothing about it seemed too fishy, other than the fact that it arrived just when she got close enough. With nothing else left to do there, and a constant need to get to Sora as quickly as she could, she stood on it, waiting for a moment. Suddenly, it started to move, going upwards, and Hikari almost fell from the instant change in velocity, trying her best to hang on to the platform as it went upwards towards the hollow castle.

The first thing the greeted her there were heartless. A couple at first, types that she's never seen before, all swarming up against her in small droves. "So that's how you wanna play..." Hikari raised both her arms, arcane magics building up within her. "So bring it!" She couldn't back down now. Even if she had to fight, this was her one chance to find Sora, and she pushed on, blasting the initial wave with fire, incinerating the heartless to crisps. As the hearts trapped within them flew out, hovering towards the sky above, a second company showed up, this time consisting of several heartless similar to wizards of sorts. Pointy hat, staff in hand, they seemed to be quite capable in magic, just like herself. One raised its staff, conjuring a dark aura around it. Hikari jumped aside at the last moment, watching the ground below her go black, a pillar of dark energies rising out of it to strike her. Still airborne, she aimed her arm, sending a volley of ice against them, but even upon contact, she realized to her dismay and shock that none even harmed them.

Just as she landed, Hikari made the dash towards the heartless. If magic doesn't work, then perhaps she could punch her way through. "Take this!" When she got close enough to one of them, she brought forth her hand, clenching her palm into a fist, and sending it forth, knocking the wizard heartless out cold and sending it flying, as it dissipated into thin air. She smirked. It worked! She found a way to deal with even them. Turning around to the other three, she narrowing dodged a bolt of lighting one of them cast, running towards it and trying the same trick again. The wizard spun in place, dissipating from view, appearing behind her, and bringing down its wand, came to blast her with fire, point blank.

Time slowed down for her. She had barely a moment to react to the attack, instinctively raising her hands and channeling the power of frost through them, her hands, now coated with a thin layer of magical ice, blocking the flare and melting away, her defense finishing its course. She gazed in marvel at this neat skill she just used. It was instinct, mostly, as things like this never came to her before. She wondered how much more she could do with magic like this, but the fireball almost singeing her hair snapped her back to reality. She turned around, the three wizards still floating about and taunting her. She closed her fist again. "Well bring it!" She tried to taunt the heartless, and as two of them got close, she lunged into the air, aiming a punch at one, pummeling it to the ground, and kicking the other. It was just her and one more, though, for a change, it seemed to stay in place, rather than trying to attack her.

"Boo."

The heartless vanished, and Hikari grinned to herself. For the first time, she actually felt kind of cool, defeating heartless, making them flee. It was nice, for what it was worth, though Sora was a higher priority at this point, and she headed forward, towards the gates to the castle, entering its insides.

The grand hall of the castle beckoned her to approach, and Hikari wondered, impressed with the architecture and size of the building. She never saw a building this big on her home world, and despite places like Agrabah and The Olympus showing places just as impressive, it was still something that filled her heart with wanderlust and curiosity. However, a stray voice from behind her made her jump in place, turning around. "Hey." Her eyes widened in surprise, as none other than Leon and Cid themselves walked up to her, apparently showing up from one of the rooms to the side. "Didn't think I'd see you here of all places." He shrugged, his voice as drab as ever, Cid smirking all the same.

"Though that does beg the question, what're ya doin' here in the first place," Cid added, eyeing her carefully. "This world ain't no walk in the park, you know."

She beamed up, smiling happily to see the two of them there. "Leon! Cid! What are you two doing here of all places?" She asked them as well, gesturing to the outside. "There's heartless everywhere here!" For a moment, she got distracted by this unexpected reunion, but quickly regained her senses. "Oh yeah! Is Sora here? I came here looking for him."

Leon could only sigh, shaking his head a bit. "As for your first question, this is our homeworld. Now that Sora helped us defeat the person who overtook it, we can finally settle back in and try and recover the damages. As for Sora, well…" His tone was a tad somber, something Hikari didn't expect. She wondered what could possibly have happened to make Leon like that. "I think you should come with us for now. We'll help you find him later." He gestured towards one of the doors, sauntering. Cid, who held a firm expression so far, looked away, walking alongside Leon, and inviting her with a finger.

She, however, didn't follow. "...What happened to Sora? Please tell me he's okay. If something happened to him..." Tears started to well around her eyes. She was desperate, oh so desperate, to finally find her child. To hug him, and properly send him off. At this point, she didn't even care if he wasn't gonna come home yet. All she wanted was to see him one more time before who knows what he had to do.

"No no, he's all dandy. It's not how he is rather than, well..." Cid stretched the collar of his tee a bit. " _Where,_ he is." Leon met his claim with a stout nod.

"Sora, from what we understood it, should be on his way to fight Ansem, the Seeker of Darkness. He's the person behind the heartless in the first place, and is now deep within the realm of darkness." His explanation was cut dry and clear, leaving no room for imagination or flair. No glory, no pride, just a small, honest truth.

"He's… Gone, then." At this point, Hikari fell to her knees. She traveled so far, saw so much, even for the brief time that she was out there, and yet… Even then, even now, at the very end of her journey, her heart screaming at her that Sora was there… He was not. He was already off, to fight the fight that needed to be fought, to save everyone.

And she didn't even get to tell him goodbye.

She started crying this time. Curled up into a fetal position, the sorrow finally overtook her, and she let it out bare and wild, not even giving an attempt to overcome it. She had to cry, and let it go. Cid came over, kneeling down and putting a gentle hand on her shoulder, trying to calm her down, but it didn't help. Despite all she went through, at the end of the day, none of it mattered to her if she failed. She could go on, blaming herself, or the worlds or whatever higher forces would be up there.

Nothing would bring her son back now.

"That's not to say that he's gone, however," Leon spoke up abruptly. "I've seen what he's capable of now. Sora's strong. He can handle it." He continued to walk, pushing back dormant feelings and exiting the room, into the library. Cid, on the other hand, stayed with the hopeless mother, waiting out the despair and sorrow until they finished properly.

"H-He doesn't get it..." She managed to utter, sniffling and wiping away her own tears. Cid nodded. There was no point talking to her now. She just had to let this pass. "N-Now what am I gonna do?..." She kept whimpering. There was no end to it in sight.

Cid looked to the side, trying to think of what to tell her. "W-Well..." He thought to himself, making up the words as he went along. "Maybe… You could go after him? I-I mean, we do have that door he sealed deeper in, but that's a really bad idea, so..."

Before he could even finish his sentence, Hikari was already back up on her feet. "You have a way to get to him?" Past the hopelessness came the same old steel clad resolve, one that could move mountains and split oceans in half. "How? Where is it? How do I use it?" A barrage of questions streamed out, hitting Cid with endless queries and demands to show her, explain to her, everything in his power that he could do to assist her. Nothing mattered anymore. Her world was gone. Sora was the only thing she had left.

"Whoa! Slow down there!" Cid tried calming her down. "Do you realize how dangerous following him into that pit of dark is gonna be?! You'll get swallowed whole, he's only fine because of the keyblade!" He kept insisting that she reconsidered, but Hikari was having none of it.

She gave him a deadpan expression, barely even blinking. "Leon said this was your homeworld. You have your home back. Even back in Traverse Town, you still have something to hang on to." She started, shifting from sadness to slight anger in the matter of moments. "I have _nothing,_ Cid. My home is still gone, my only son is already out there, in the darkest abyss. What am I supposed to do? Just smile and accept it? Just let go and never see my son again?" Her heart rate started hastening, feeling it pound against her chest. "Well I won't accept it!" Her voice raised to a shout. "I won't! I will see Sora again, even if the _last_ thing I do!" Her insistence showed no sign of stopping, to the point where Cid couldn't even get a word in, as Hikari went on and on about what Sora meant to her.

When she finally calmed down, he raised his hand, putting it on her shoulder. "Alright, alright… I get it. Well, for now, you should meet the others that got here, then we'll talk about what to do about the door to darkness, alright? Not like we can shut it off or anything..." he looked to the side, shaking his head.

And with that, the two set off, walking towards the library, where the rest of the group already gathered. Yuffie gave her a cheerful smile and a wave of her arm, while Aerith nodded slowly to see her come in. Leon, like usual, was already sitting on the edge of the table, looking as broody as ever. On his side, another person she didn't recognize stood, with an oversized, broad sword snapped to his back.

"So uh… Leon?" Cid paced towards him, giving him a worried glance. "We might uh… Might need to help Hikari here do… _the thing._ " his eyes pointed to the stairs above them. He whispered it weakly enough that the others couldn't hear, though Leon's nod clued them in that it was something of high importance.

Yuffie couldn't contain herself, giving Cid a slap on the back. "Oh come on! Not fair that only Leon gets to know! Come on, temmetemmetemme." She grinned coyly, seemingly with no clue as to what he was talking about. Cid rubbed his back, and leaned over, whispering to her what it was that Hikari wanted, Yuffie's face turning bleach white upon hearing it. At the very least, she realized just how dangerous this could be. "B-But you can't do that!" She pointed at the mother, raising her voice. "That's suicide!"

The others quickly caught on, giving her glares of concern and worry. The taller one, the one she didn't know, stepped forward. He brushed a few of his hairs aside, revealing his face better. "If you want to dive into the darkness… You better be ready to be taken over. I made that mistake long ago. Don't make it yourself." With that said, he walked past her, heading for the door. "I'm gonna keep looking for Sephiroth. If you need me, find me."

As he walked off, Hikari stared at him, puzzled. He gave her nothing more than a quick glance after speaking up, leaving the room entirely and vanishing just the way he came.

Aerith was still shaking her head periodically. "Please, Hikari… What you want to do is beyond dangerous. Please. Please reconsider."

Despite her pleas, Hikari gave her a single, determined look, one that could push through any dark realm to get what she wants. "I've made up my mind. If Sora is in the realm of darkness fighting this Ansem person… Then I'm going after him!"

The party exchanged several worried glances, but at the end of the day, there was nothing they could do to stop her. Cid cleared his throat, Yuffie took a step back, unnerved, Leon shook his head lightly and Aerith could only sigh, disguising a weep.

"Alright." Leon chimed in. "Come with me then. I'll show you where it is."

* * *

The castle was far bigger than she gave it credit for. Elevators, arches, and plenty of stairs, it was a silent walk while Leon led her throughout the halls. Heartless attacks were quick frequent, unlike other places like Traverse Town and the other worlds she's been to so far. Unlike there, here they seemed almost commonplace, as if someone kept actively conjuring them to this world to keep it taken over.

"Watch out!" Leon dashed past her, and with a slice of his sword, dispatched of another small squad of wizards. Despite her innate talent to fight heartless, something she figured that she had, Leon was still the better fighter by far, and easily took care of those pests, wasting not a single moment in stabbing, slashing, and blasting them with spells while leading her higher and higher up. She nodded in gratitude, wearing a natural, if not serious face, staring at the path at hand with a tinge of regret. She should have been there earlier. She wasted all that time on other worlds, and in that time, Sora was now fighting the biggest fight of his life, and she didn't even get to say anything to him.

However, as quickly as it came, she pushed it aside. It was not the time for misery and pain. She'd have to find him first. The tears can come later.

Finally, the two came to a long, dark purple hall, where she could recognize a few other figures. All female, from what it seemed, though differ in age and complexion. One of them she instantly recognized, having seen her portrait on the palace wall of Agrabah. She ran over to her, giving a light, polite bow. "You… You're princess Jasmine, correct?"

The princess looked at her a bit perplexed, having never met her before, though she returned the bow all the same. "Umm… Yes, that's my name. Do you… Know me?" She couldn't help but ask, the other two girls around her nodding in agreement.

Hikari managed to fake a smile, at the very least. If anything else, she felt she should give the effort to seem happy about this, even if her internal thoughts were less than somber. "Y-Your father, the sultan… I've met him on my travels through other worlds. He misses you dearly, princess."

"Please, please, call me jasmine. There's no need for such formality." Jasmine smiled back at her, seemingly cheerful. "And yes… I realized as such. Alas, I cannot leave yet. We have to keep the darkness at bay here," She pointed to the deeper chamber, past the hall where they stood. "If we don't stay here for now, who knows how many worlds could be lost to the heartless."

Leon's head turned to her at the mention of the dark, and Hikari quickly got the hint. "Alright… I hope all six of you would be able to stop it. I must go for now." She hurried after Leon, getting into the grand hall of the castle, where a huge, color-changing insignia. Several machinery and other tools hung around the room, their purpose unknown to her.

Leon walked up to the main platform, pointing to the dark door in front of them. She could just _feel_ it, oozing ever so slowly, waiting to devour them all in a heartbeat.

He went over to one of the keyboards that stood silently nearby, tapping on the keys and trying to figure something out. So far, it seemed that no matter what he pressed, nothing really changed in the overall gate, the colors changing casually and remaining just as before. "Hmm..." He pondered out loud, trying a different stroke of keys, with nothing as the result. "We've been trying to figure out these controls ever since we got here. So far… Nothing really works the way we want." He explained to her briefly, his eyes not moving from the buttons on the pad. "The best we've gotten so far was change some of the overlays with the elevators… But that's about it. Nothing about the gate. Can't reopen the lock the keyblade sealed, can't stop the Heartless invading other worlds either."

Hikari stared at the door to darkness before her, her feet moving her closer and closer to it without even thinking. It was right there; she could simply reach out to it, have it open for her. She talked to a world directly before, and something told her that she could do it here too. Her hand began to raise when she was close enough. The dark pulses moved through her body now. It was almost the same as the time her world fell to darkness. Familiar, yet distant. Her mind started to clear, and Leon's words for her became nothing more than fragmented verbs and half-words, strung together into an incoherent voice.

She reached out with a single hand. It was so close now. Soon, she'd be with Sora. Soon…

A strong hand grabbed her before she could open the door herself, pushing it back forcefully. "Jeez lady, I get that you want to find your kid, but you gotta stop for a moment and let us handle it!" Cid's voice brought her back to reality, and she shook her head, out of her small fantasy.

Hikari couldn't help but to shake her head, quickly coming back to reality and looking at Cid slightly confused. "...O-Oh. Sorry..." She stared at her own hand, and then back to the heartless-shaped gate in the wall. "Anyway..." She addressed Leon and Cid, who now stood next to one another. "Now that we're here, how do I get in? Do you need me to do something?" Against her better judgment, she decided to hold her tongue about the idea she had, at least for the time being.

The two men gazed at each other, exchanging a look of annoyance and confusion. "Well..." Cid came to break it to her. "We… Don't really know how this works, you know." Leon nodded.

"I explained this to her already, don't worry." He corrected Cid, and gave one last attempt to open the door with the keyboard.

"Then what do we _do?_ " Hikari asked a second time. So far, she didn't get any answer that satisfied her, and her rather specific expectations for an answer. "You said Sora went to the realm of darkness. This is a way to get there, right? So there has to be a way for me to get there too." She insisted, looking stern and serious.

Cid simply shrugged. "Sorry ma'am, nothin' we can do at the moment. I mean we can try, but I can't promise you that it'd work."

With that, Hikari decided she wasn't going to wait anymore. If they couldn't take her to Sora, she would do it herself. She turned to the dark keyhole, readying herself. "If you can't help me get there… I'll just have to open it myself!" She spoke valiantly, and in a fit of reckless abandon, jumped at the keyhole, bringing her hand to the entrance and pressing it. Just like Agrabah, she tapped into the power that laid latent in the world, and as both Cid and Leon yelled in shock and tried to pull her away, she sent out a single, solitary phrase.

 _Let. Me. IN._

It happened in an instant. Far quicker than she could recognize. The door opened around her, leaking dark energies and filling the area around her, pulling her in. She steeled her heart, gazing at the void. It was time she found her child, once and for all.

* * *

All around her, the scenery changed. The room in Hollow Bastion replaced with a what she could only call a haze of nothing, atop empty skies. The transition was instant, even more so than her usual magic, and it disoriented Hikari, making her stumble and fall to her feet. She had no idea where she was, but she could already tell that it was far away from the realm of light.

Hikari rose to standing as quickly as she could, looking around frantically. She wanted to call to Sora, but the shadows looming near made such a gesture impossible without being attacked right away. Alas, it didn't help her chances, and before she knew it, the Heartless spotted her, piling around in droves around the poor mother, ready to consume her alive.

"N-No..." Hikari raised both hands defensively, but she knew it wouldn't help. There were far too much Heartless for her to handle in one fight, and it was not a question of if she could win or not, but how long will she last. Despair hit her. Even then, at the very end, hoping this one last jump would lead her to where she wanted, Sora was already away.

And just like that, the Heartless all piled on her, taking Hikari and pulling her deeper into the dark, her heart fading away.

She felt like she was floating. All the way back, when the islands fell away, and she was nothing more than a thought, standing strong with sheer force of will. But now, after all she's been through, she soul was shattered. No will to fight, no will to recover. Hikari began to fade away, the darkness slowly eating away at her very being.

It would have been easy. It would have been easy to just give up, and die there and then. To become a heartless herself, and vanish from reality as she knew it. She figured it would quite surely make her life easier.

But something inside her refused.

One last glimmer of hope remained in her mind. One last speck of wishful thinking that kept her going, despite the insurmountable odds. It was a cry for help, a plea for a son that she could barely believe she would see again.

The darkness around her cleared, slightly. She started hearing voices coming from a while away. A deep, booming voice, followed by a child's.

Her child.

"...I know now…"

She began to move. She needed to be there.

"Without a doubt..."

Her heart screamed for him. Yearned for his face. For his presence. She would break apart the world for that.

"Kingdom hearts..."

She still couldn't feel her body. She was just a heart, unprotected and exposed, in a sea of dark, with only a single voice to guide her to him.

"...Is light!"

Suddenly, the area around him glimmered. Light burst through, banishing the dark that kept her away. She floated to him, but without a body, she couldn't stay. She had to find something that would keep her safe. That would protect her until she could regain her form in the realm of light.

And Sora's heart opened to her.

And Hikari dived in.


End file.
